Give the direction of the reaction, if K >> 1. Give the direction of the reaction, if K >> 1. The forward reaction is favored. If the temperature is raised, then the forward reaction is favored. Neither direction is favored. If the temperature is raised, then the reverse reaction is favored. The reverse reaction is favored.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: Neither direction is favored.
Explanation:
The equilibrium constant, represented by K, indicates the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium. It tells us how far a reaction proceeds before reaching equilibrium. When K is approximately equal to 1, this means that the concentrations of reactants and products are roughly equal at equilibrium. In other words, neither the forward nor the reverse reaction is significantly favored under the given conditions.
This balanced state means that the system is already at equilibrium with nearly equal amounts of products and reactants. Therefore, there is no strong driving force in either direction. The forward and reverse reactions proceed at equal rates once equilibrium is established, maintaining the concentration ratio close to one.
It is important not to confuse this with temperature effects. The temperature does influence equilibrium, but only if we know whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic. For example, in an exothermic reaction, increasing temperature favors the reverse reaction, while in an endothermic reaction, increasing temperature favors the forward reaction. However, the question only provides the value of K, not information about heat changes or enthalpy. So we cannot make any conclusions about temperature effects in this case.
Since K ≈ 1 and there is no additional information about temperature dependence or enthalpy changes, we conclude that the system is balanced. Therefore, neither direction is favored at equilibrium. This represents a state of dynamic balance, where products and reactants interconvert at the same rate, and the overall composition of the system remains constant over time.
