A chemical equilibrium is established when
A chemical equilibrium is established when
- A) concentration of the reactants and products are equal
- B) reactants in the system stop forming the products
- C) concentrations of the reactants and products remain unchanged
- D) reactants in the system are completely transformed to products
Correct Answer: C) concentrations of the reactants and products remain unchanged
Explanation
A chemical equilibrium is established when the concentrations of the reactants and products remain unchanged (Option C is correct). This does not mean that the reaction has stopped. Instead, it means that the forward and reverse reactions are occurring at the same rate. As a result, the concentrations of the reactants and products remain constant over time.It is important to note that at equilibrium, the concentrations of the reactants and products do not have to be equal (Option A is incorrect). The equilibrium constant, K, is used to describe the relationship between the concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium. A large K value means that the products are favored, while a small K value means that the reactants are favored.
Furthermore, chemical equilibrium does not mean that the reactants stop forming products (Option B is incorrect), or that the reactants are completely transformed to products (Option D is incorrect). Both the forward and reverse reactions continue to occur, but at the same rate, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products.