Science
Equilibrium constant.
Definition
A value (K) that expresses the ratio of product concentrations to reactant concentrations at chemical equilibrium, each raised to the power of their coefficients. A large K means products are favored; a small K means reactants are favored.
Examples
Real-world.
- 1 The formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen has a very large K, favoring products
- 2 The dissociation of a weak acid like acetic acid has a small Ka
- 3 Comparing Q (reaction quotient) to K to predict which direction a reaction will shift
Key Fact
K = [products]^coefficients / [reactants]^coefficients at equilibrium