Final answer:
The question is about determining the direction of a chemical reaction to reach equilibrium, which depends on the balanced chemical equation, partial pressures, temperature, and ΔGº. Reactants are on the left side of the equation and proceed to the right to form products; equilibrium can be reached when forward and reverse reaction rates are equal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the process of a chemical reaction and inquires about the direction in which a reaction proceeds in order to reach equilibrium. According to the provided information, the chemical equation's reactants start on the left, which is a standard convention in writing chemical equations. Reactants are substances present at the start of a chemical reaction and are written on the left side of the reaction arrow, while products are substances formed during the reaction and are listed on the right side.
Whether a reaction proceeds to the right, as written, or to the left to reach equilibrium can be determined by using the given balanced chemical equation, partial pressures of each species, temperature, and the change in free energy (ΔGº). A negative ΔGº indicates that the reaction will proceed 'to the right', toward the products, whereas a positive ΔGº suggests the reaction will proceed 'to the left' to reach equilibrium. This assessment must also account for the partial pressure of each species involved.
For a reaction at equilibrium, the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, and the concentrations of reactants and products do not change over time. This condition can be approached from either direction, depending on the relative concentrations and thermodynamic properties of the substances involved.