How does concentration effect dynamic equilibrium?
1 Answer
The Law of Mass Action states that when a system (e.g., chemical reaction) is at equilibrium, the ratio of products and reactant concentrations is equal to the equilibrium constant for that reaction. If we change the concentration of any species (e.g., by adding reactant to the mixture), then the reaction will shift toward reactants or products in order to restore the ratio of concentrations to the equilibrium value.
Explanation:
Example:
When
So, if the concentration of
If the system is in a 1L container at constant volume and temperature and we add 0.03 mol of
which is smaller than the equilibrium ratio of 4.7. In order to restore equilibrium, the reaction shifts toward products, consuming
Solving this quadratic equation for the change in concentration,
and the new ratio is