Table of Contents
Chemical Equilibrium
Chemical equilibrium is when two or more substances react to form a new substance. The substances reach a point where the rate of the reaction is equal to the rate of the reaction. The new substance is stable and the equilibrium is reached.
Heterogeneous equilibrium is when two or more substances react to form a new substance, but the new substance is not stable. The substances reach a point where the rate of the reaction is equal to the rate of the reaction. The new substance is unstable and the equilibrium is reached.
Examples of Heterogeneous Equilibrium
One example of a heterogeneous equilibrium is the distribution of water in the Earth’s atmosphere. In the atmosphere, water is distributed in gaseous, liquid, and solid form. The water vapor in the atmosphere is in equilibrium with the liquid water in the Earth’s surface, and the liquid water in the Earth’s surface is in equilibrium with the solid water in the Earth’s surface.
Equilibrium Constant of Heterogeneous Equilibrium Reaction
The equilibrium constant of a heterogeneous equilibrium reaction is the ratio of the concentrations of the products to the concentrations of the reactants at equilibrium.
Homogeneous Equilibrium Reactions
A reaction is in equilibrium when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal. This means that the concentrations of the reactants and products do not change with time.
In a homogeneous equilibrium reaction, the reactants and products are all in the same phase (liquid, gas, or solid).
