1. What is the Equilibrium Constant?

The equilibrium constant (K) quantifies the ratio of product concentrations to reactant concentrations at equilibrium, each raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients in the balanced chemical equation.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the equilibrium constant formula:

Where:

• \( [A], [B] \) — Concentrations of reactants at equilibrium (mol/L)
• \( [C], [D] \) — Concentrations of products at equilibrium (mol/L)
• \( a, b \) — Stoichiometric coefficients of reactants
• \( c, d \) — Stoichiometric coefficients of products

Explanation: The equilibrium constant expresses the position of equilibrium - large K values favor products, small K values favor reactants.

3. Importance of Equilibrium Constant

Details: The equilibrium constant is fundamental in chemical thermodynamics, predicting reaction direction, extent of reaction, and is temperature-dependent.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter all concentrations in mol/L and stoichiometric coefficients as integers. For reactions with different numbers of reactants/products, set unused fields to zero or one as appropriate.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a large K value indicate?
A: K > 1 suggests products are favored at equilibrium; K < 1 suggests reactants are favored.

Q2: How does temperature affect K?
A: K changes with temperature - endothermic reactions increase K with temperature, exothermic reactions decrease K.

Q3: What are the units of K?
A: K is technically dimensionless, but sometimes has "apparent" units when reaction stoichiometry isn't 1:1.

Q4: How is K different from Q?
A: Q (reaction quotient) uses current concentrations, while K uses equilibrium concentrations.

Q5: Can K be negative?
A: No, K is always positive since concentrations are always positive and raised to positive powers.