Final answer:
Chemical equilibrium is the state of a reaction where the forward and reverse reaction rates are equal, resulting in constant reactant and product concentrations. Despite this balance, the reactions are continuously in process, maintaining a dynamic equilibrium. Disturbance in the equilibrium triggers a system adjustment until a new equilibrium is established.
Step-by-step explanation:
- Understanding Chemical Equilibrium
When a chemical reaction reaches equilibrium, it signifies that the concentrations of the reactants and products have stabilized and do not show any net change over time. This condition is known as dynamic equilibrium, reflecting a state where the forward and reverse reactions continue to occur at equal rates despite the constant concentrations of substances in the reaction mixture. At this point, there is no observable change in quantity of reactants or products, because the rate at which reactants form products is exactly countered by the rate at which products decompose back into reactants.
- Stability of Reaction Components at Equilibrium
The concentration of each component in a reaction that has reached equilibrium remains unchanged. This is due to the dynamic nature of the equilibrium, where even though reactants are still being converted to products and vice versa, the overall concentrations do not alter because the rates of the forward and reverse processes are equivalent.
- Response to Disturbance in Equilibrium
If an equilibrium is disturbed, say by adding more of a reactant, the system adjusts by shifting the equilibrium to counteract the disturbance, temporarily increasing the rate of the forward reaction until a new equilibrium is established. This is an application of Le Chatelier's principle, which describes how a system at equilibrium responds to changes in conditions.