Approaching

Equilibrium
Lesson 1

Approaching Equilibrium
Many chemical reactions are reversible if the activation
energy is low.
Reactants

Products

Approaching Equilibrium
Many chemical reactions are reversible if the activation
energy is low.
Reactants
Always on left

Products
Always on right

Approaching Equilibrium
Many chemical reactions are reversible if the activation
energy is low.
Reactants

Products

Approaching Equilibrium
Many chemical reactions are reversible if the activation
energy is low.
Reactants

Products

Forward Rate is from

left to right

Approaching Equilibrium
Many chemical reactions are reversible if the activation
energy is low.
Reactants
Reverse Rate is from
right to left

Products

Lets see what happens to some reactants if they are placed in a

reaction vessel and allowed to react.

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate
Are Equal

Approaching Equilibrium
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate
Are Equal

Are Constant

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate
Are Equal

Are Constant
Same as before

Time

[Reactant]

Forward Rate

[Product]

Reverse Rate

Net Rate

10

15

20

25

8000

170

170

7500

160

1000

16

144

6800

145

2000

20

125

5600

120

2500

30

90

4600

100

3200

40

60

3600

84

4000

50

34

30

2900

75

4900

56

19

35

2000

65

6000

58

40

1600

60

6000

60

45

1600

60

6000

60

50

1600

60

6000

60

Equilibriumhasbeenattainedafter40minutes.Theforwardand
reverseratesareequalandthereactantandproductconcentrations
areconstant.

Graphthe[reactant]and[product]asequilibriumisapproached.

Concentration

8000

7000

6000
5000

4000
3000
2000
1000

equilibrium
0

15

30

Time

Graphtheforward,reverse,&netratesasequilibriumis
approached.
Rate

160
140
120
100

80
60
40

equilibrium

20

15

30

Time

ApproachingEquilibrium
Reactantconcentrationsstarthighanddecreaseasthereaction
proceeds.Theforwardrate,whichdependsoncollisionsofthe
reactants,alsodecreases.

Productconcentrationsstartatzeroandincreaseasthereaction
proceeds.Thereverserate,whichdependsoncollisionsoftheproducts,
alsoincreases.

Eventuallytheforwardrateisequaltothereverserateandthe
concentrationsareconstant.Thisisequilibrium.

CharacteristicsofaSystematEquilibrium

TheForwardrate=TheReverserate

TheReactantandProductconcentrationsareconstant

TheMacroscopic(observable)propertiesareconstant

ThesystemisDynamicastheforwardandreversereactionscontinue.

Theequilibriumcanbeapproachedfromstartingwithreactantsor
startingwithproducts.

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate

Approaching Equilibrium
from Products
Products

Reactants
Forward Rate

Reverse Rate
Are Equal

Are Constant
Same as before

Ifyoustartwithproductsallaspectsoftheapproachtoequilibriumare
reversed!
ProductsandReverseRatedecrease
ReactantsandForwardRateincreases

ConditionsNecessaryforEquilibrium

Thesystemisclosed.

Thetemperatureisconstant.

TheEaislowenoughsothatthereactionisreversible.
Simulation1