4.mm

Equilibrium Constant and Energy Relationship

• When Energies are Equal

  • K=1K = 1K=1: The equilibrium constant is 1 if the reactants and products have the same energy.

• When Energies Differ

  • KKK: Becomes larger when the products are more stable (lower energy) than the reactants.

• Key Equation

  • ΔG=−RTln⁡K

    • Components:

      • ΔG: Free energy difference (kJ mol⁻¹).

      • R: Gas constant, 8.314 J K−1 mol−18.314

      • T: Temperature in kelvin (K).

      • lnK: Natural logarithm of the equilibrium constant.

• Understanding ΔG\Delta GΔG

  • ΔG: Indicates the energy difference between reactants and products.

  • Negative ΔG: Favors product formation (large K).

• Applications

  • The equation predicts equilibrium composition by calculating the ratio of reactants to products if ΔG is known.

• Historical Context

  • Developed by J. Willard Gibbs in the 1870s, laying the foundation for thermodynamics in chemist