Final answer:
The equilibrium constant (K) indicates the relative concentrations of products and reactants at equilibrium, with a value larger than 1 signifying that products are favored at equilibrium. A large K value means the reaction tends to proceed to completion, while a small K value indicates that reactants are favored.
Step-by-step explanation:
The value of the equilibrium constant (K) indicates the relative concentrations of products and reactants at equilibrium for a chemical reaction. When K is greater than 1, as with the given value of K = 888, it means that the concentration of products at equilibrium is greater than that of reactants. In other words, the products are favored in the reaction. This does not mean that the equilibrium constant is largest when the concentration of reactants is larger than the products; rather, it indicates the opposite.
A large K value signifies that the reaction has a strong tendency to form products and, therefore, lies to the right. This is often described as the products predominating at equilibrium, which can correspond to an essentially irreversible reaction. Conversely, a small K value indicates a reaction where reactants predominate, and the equilibrium lies to the left, favoring the formation of reactants over products.
Thus, the magnitude of the equilibrium constant is directly related to the concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium for a given reaction.
The relation between the kinetics of a reaction (the rates of the forward and reverse reactions) and the equilibrium concentrations also plays a crucial role in determining the value of K.