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Chemistry
MODULE 5: EQUILIBRIUM AND ACID REACTIONS

5.1 - Static and Dynamic Equilibrium

Reversible Reactions and Chemical Equilibrium
What does it mean by equilibrium?

it is a state of balance in which nothing changes

Equilibrium only possible when?

if the reaction is reversible

What is the definition of reversible reaction?

is a reaction in which the conversion of reactants to products and the conversion of

products to reactants occur simultaneously under specific conditions.

Examples of reversible reaction?

Copper chloride and iron chloride

Cobalt chloride

Examples of irreversible reaction?

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 Combustion of magnesium ribbon

Combustion of steel wool in oxygen

What is a forward reaction?

The reaction which forms the products

What is a backward(reverse) reaction?

The reaction which forms the reactants

What is the notation of the reversible reaction?

When the forward reaction is exothermic, what is the backward reaction would be?

it would be endothermic (the opposite of exothermic so it cancel each other out and
become balanced)

How to calculate enthalpy of reaction?

∆H = ∑∆Hf(products) −∑∆Hf(reactants)

Why the magnitude of ∆H remain the same between the two (forward and backward
reactions)

Because the difference in enthalpy between the reactants and products are the same

Chemistry 2
 What is the ∆H of the reverse reaction if the ∆H of the forward reaction is 67.4 kJ/mol?

∆H(reverse reaction)= -67.4kJ/mol (same magnitude, opposite sign)

Dynamic Equilibrium
What are the three types of systems?

Open, closed and isolated systems (mostly focused on the open and closed systems as the
isolated one isn’t realistic in daily life)

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 What can transfer in and out of an open system?
Energy and matter

What can transfer in and out of a closed system?

Energy only

What can transfer in and out of an isolated system?

Nothing

An example of an open system?

A beaker without the lid where the water can evaporates out of the system

An example of a closed system?

A closed room where the evaporation of the water escaped out from that beaker will be
remained inside the room

What is a static equilibrium?

No motion between reactants and products

Occurs when there is no exchange between reactants and products.

The rates of the forward and reverse processes are zero

What is a dynamic equilibrium?

When the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the backward reaction,
occurring continuously, and the concentrations of both products and reactants remain
constant.

Differences between static equilibrium vs dynamic equilibrium?

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 What is the diagram of a dynamic equilibrium?

Where on the graph do we identify the system as being at equilibrium? What does this
point represent?

What is a homogenous equilibrium?

All reactants are in the same state/phase

Examples of homogenous equilibrium?

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 What is a heterogenous equilibrium?

Substances can be in different states/phases (don’t necessary mean they are all different,
it just mean that they are not the same)

Examples of heterogenous equilibrium?

Explain why equilibrium can only be reached in a closed system

Why the combustion reactions are irreversible?

The products of this reaction, carbon dioxide and oxygen are stable and do not react with
each other to reform octane and oxygen gas. It is also non-equilibrium system due to
the fact that it is irreversible.

Why the photosynthesis reactions are irreversible?

Chemistry 6
 Is the process of respiration a backward reaction to photosynthesis?

Both reactions occur via a series of small steps. This means that each chemical equation
is more of a summary of these steps and therefore they are not simply the reverse of each
other.

Collison theory and Equilibrium

What is activation energy (Ea)?

is the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.

What does the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution curve states?

Chemistry 7
 The diagram of activation energy of reversible reactions?
Note: the ∆H differences between forward and backward reactions is similar or only a
small different

What is reaction rate?

How quickly a reaction occurs, how many particles are reacting in a given time period
(typically measured in mol/L/s)

What factors can affected the reaction rate?

Pressure

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 Surface Area

Temperature

Reactant concentration

Catalyst

In a reversible reaction, do these factors affected both forward and backward reaction
rate or only one?

These factors will affect both forward and backward reactions

What is the summary of collision theory?

Define equilibrium position

How far towards either the left hand side (reactants) or right hand side (products) the
system is at equilibrium (ratio of products and reactants).

Can show which side is more predominant by the length of the arrows. (longer
arrow)

In a reversible reaction, if we start with the product side, will it change the concentration
of the substances?

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 No, the equilibrium position is independent from which point we start from it.
Whichever side we pick, we’ll eventually reach equilibrium.

In an equilibrium, why does the forward reaction’s rate start out high and then decrease?
Refer to particles and collisions in your answer.

What is displacement reaction?

The type of reaction in which part of one reactant is displaced by another reactant

5.2 - Factors that Affect Equilibrium

Equilibrium and Le Châtelier’s Principle
The graph of forward and reverse reactions?

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 What happen when the reaction reach equilibrium? Is there still some changes happen?

When it reached equilibrium (meaning that the rate of forward and backward reactions
are equal), there are still some movements between the reactions but not the net
movement.

What does the Le Châtelier’s Principle stated?

“If a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will adjust in such a way as to partially

counteract the imposed change”

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 OR

“If a system at equilibrium is exposed to a stress, the system will shift so as to relieve
that stress.”

What are the stresses that we can put in?

Changing concentration

Changing temperature

Changing pressure/volume

What happen when the concentration of the reactants decrease?

Then the products will try to replace the amount of lost reactants so it can get back
to their original ratio where it reaches equilibrium.

The equilibrium has shifted to the left (to the reactants)

Note: this is however partially counteract change which mean it can’t get the exact
ratio originally.

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 What happen when the concentration of the reactants increase?

The product will try to remove the added particles so it can get back to the original
ratio which is when it reached equilibrium.

The equilibrium has shifted to the right (to the products)

Note: this is however partially counteract change which mean it can’t get the exact
ratio originally.

What does it mean by favouring the forward reaction?

Meaning the forward reaction is occurring more compare to the backward reaction to
oppose to the stresses that added into the system so it can be also to reach equilibrium
again.

What does it mean by the reaction is shift to the left(reactants)?

It means that there will be more reactants and fewer products as the result of favouring
backward or forward reaction.

What does it mean by the reaction is shift to the right(products)?

It means that there will be more products and fewer reactants as the result of favouring
backward or forward reaction.

What directions can the equilibrium shift to?

Either to the left (reactants) or the right (products)

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 What are the effects of adding catalyst?

Help to lower the activation energy (both forward and reverse reactions will sped
up) → achieved the equilibrium faster

No effect on yield (equilibrium position)

What is the summary of the Le Châtelier’s Principle?

What direction would the reaction shift to if the temperature is increased?

It would move in the endothermic reaction to try to reduce the temperature by absorbing
it

What direction would the reaction shift to if the temperature is decreased?

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 It would move in the exothermic reaction to try to increase the temperature by releasing
heat

Which side would the equilibrium shift to if the pressure is increased?

It would shift towards to the side with fewer moles of gas to oppose the change and
thereby reduce the pressure

Which side would the equilibrium shift to if the pressure is decreased?

It would shift towards to the side with more moles of gas to oppose the change and
thereby increase the pressure

How does the high pressure achieve?

It is achieved when there are lots of gas particles in a given volume.

More particles = higher pressure

What are the impact of changing pressure if the number of moles on both sides are equal
to each other?
The pressure will then have no effect on the position of equilibrium

What is it meant by catalyst?

Does adding catalyst affect the equilibrium position?

No, it doesn’t. If a catalyst is added to a reaction mixture that is in equilibrium, the rate
of both the forward and backward reactions will increase and the increase in rate will be
the same for both reactions. The overall position doesn’t change.

Graphing Change in Equilibrium Systems

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