Final answer:
A Keq value of 0.62 indicates that the reactants are favored at equilibrium, and this ratio stays constant unless temperature changes. Equilibrium is a dynamic state with equal forward and reverse reaction rates.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a student calculates the Keq value of a reaction in equilibrium to be 0.62, this value reflects the ratio of the concentration of the products to the reactants at equilibrium. The numeric value of Keq gives us insight into the extent of the reaction. A Keq value of less than 1 indicates that, at equilibrium, the reactants are favored over the products; in other words, the concentrations of the reactants are higher than those of the products.
Once equilibrium is established, the value of Keq remains constant, provided the temperature does not change. Even though individual concentrations of reactants and products might vary during the course of the reaction, when the system reaches equilibrium, the ratio defined by Keq will be restored. This is because equilibrium is a dynamic process where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.