Chemical Equilibria
Chemical Equilibria
A chemical reaction is usually written in a way that suggests it proceeds in one direction, the direction in which we read, but all chemical reactions are reversible, and both the forward and reverse reaction occur to one degree or another depending on conditions. In a chemical equilibrium, the forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates, and the concentrations of products and reactants remain constant.
If we run a reaction in a closed system so that the products cannot escape, we often find the reaction does not give a 100% yield of products. Instead, some reactants remain after the concentrations stop changing. At this point, when there is no further change in concentrations of reactants and products, we say the reaction is at equilibrium. A mixture of reactants and products is found at equilibrium.
For example, when we place a sample of dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4, a colorless gas) in a glass tube, it forms nitrogen dioxide (NO2, a brown gas) by the reaction
\({\text{N}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}\left(g\right)⇌2{\text{NO}}_{2}\left(g\right)\)
The color becomes darker as N2O4 is converted to NO2. When the system reaches equilibrium, both N2O4 and NO2 are present (see the figure below).
A mixture of NO2 and N2O4 moves toward equilibrium. Colorless N2O4 reacts to form brown NO2. As the reaction proceeds toward equilibrium, the color of the mixture darkens due to the increasing concentration of NO2.
The formation of NO2 from N2O4 is a reversible reaction, which is identified by the equilibrium arrow \(\text{(⇌)}\). All reactions are reversible, but many reactions, for all practical purposes, proceed in one direction until the reactants are exhausted and will reverse only under certain conditions. Such reactions are often depicted with a one-way arrow from reactants to products.
Many other reactions, such as the formation of NO2 from N2O4, are reversible under more easily obtainable conditions and, therefore, are named as such. In a reversible reaction, the reactants can combine to form products and the products can react to form the reactants. Thus, not only can N2O4 decompose to form NO2, but the NO2 produced can react to form N2O4. As soon as the forward reaction produces any NO2, the reverse reaction begins and NO2 starts to react to form N2O4.
At equilibrium, the concentrations of N2O4 and NO2 no longer change because the rate of formation of NO2 is exactly equal to the rate of consumption of NO2, and the rate of formation of N2O4 is exactly equal to the rate of consumption of N2O4. Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic process: As with the swimmers and the sunbathers, the numbers of each remain constant, yet there is a flux back and forth between them (see the figure below).
These jugglers provide an illustration of dynamic equilibrium. Each throws clubs to the other at the same rate at which he receives clubs from that person. Because clubs are thrown continuously in both directions, the number of clubs moving in each direction is constant, and the number of clubs each juggler has at a given time remains (roughly) constant.
In a chemical equilibrium, the forward and reverse reactions do not stop, rather they continue to occur at the same rate, leading to constant concentrations of the reactants and the products. Plots showing how the reaction rates and concentrations change with respect to time are shown in the figure above.
We can detect a state of equilibrium because the concentrations of reactants and products do not appear to change. However, it is important that we verify that the absence of change is due to equilibrium and not to a reaction rate that is so slow that changes in concentration are difficult to detect.
We use a double arrow when writing an equation for a reversible reaction. Such a reaction may or may not be at equilibrium. For example, the figure above shows the reaction:
\({\text{N}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}\left(g\right)⇌2{\text{NO}}_{2}\left(g\right)\)
When we wish to speak about one particular component of a reversible reaction, we use a single arrow. For example, in the equilibrium shown in the figure above, the rate of the forward reaction
\({\text{N}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}\left(g\right)\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}⟶\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}2{\text{NO}}_{2}\left(g\right)\)
is equal to the rate of the backward reaction
\(2{\text{NO}}_{2}\left(g\right)\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}⟶\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{N}}_{2}{\text{O}}_{4}\left(g\right)\)
Let us consider the evaporation of bromine as a second example of a system at equilibrium.
\({\text{Br}}_{2}\left(l\right)⇌{\text{Br}}_{2}\left(g\right)\)
An equilibrium can be established for a physical change—like this liquid to gas transition—as well as for a chemical reaction. The figure below shows a sample of liquid bromine at equilibrium with bromine vapor in a closed container. When we pour liquid bromine into an empty bottle in which there is no bromine vapor, some liquid evaporates, the amount of liquid decreases, and the amount of vapor increases. If we cap the bottle so no vapor escapes, the amount of liquid and vapor will eventually stop changing and an equilibrium between the liquid and the vapor will be established. If the bottle were not capped, the bromine vapor would escape and no equilibrium would be reached.
An equilibrium is pictured between liquid bromine, Br2(l), the dark liquid, and bromine vapor, Br2(g), the reddish-brown gas. Because the container is sealed, bromine vapor cannot escape and equilibrium is maintained. (credit: http://images-of-elements.com/bromine.php)
This lesson is part of:
Fundamental Equilibrium Concepts