Question

What is the law of mass action? Is it true that the value of K depends on the amounts of reactants and products mixed together initially? Explain. Is it true that reactions with large equilibrium constant values are very fast? Explain. There is only one value of the equilibrium constant for a particular system at a particular temperature, but there is an infinite number of equilibrium positions. Explain.

Answer 1

The Law of Mass Action states that the rate of a chemical reaction is proportional to the concentration of reactants, but the equilibrium constant, K, is not dependent on initial amounts. A large equilibrium constant doesn't necessarily mean a fast reaction. There can be infinite equilibrium positions for a fixed volume of reactants and products.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Law of Mass Action is a principle in chemistry that states the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of reactants. The value of the equilibrium constant, K, is not dependent on the initial amounts of reactants and products but rather on the particular ratio at equilibrium.

K remains constant at a given temperature, regardless of the amount of substances mixed initially. Still, indeed, it's true that there can be an infinite number of equilibrium positions for a fixed volume of reactants and products as they can vary their concentrations while maintaining constant K.

Despite common misconceptions, reactions with large equilibrium constants are not always fast. The equilibrium constant represents the composition of the reaction mixture when the reaction reaches equilibrium and does not indicate the speed at which equilibrium is reached. The rate of a reaction is governed by the activation energy, not the equilibrium constant.

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