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Equilibrium constant, denoted as K, is a quantitative measure of the ratio of products to reactants at equilibrium in a chemical reaction. It is a constant value that describes the extent to which a reaction proceeds towards products or reactants.
Equilibrium constant can be calculated by dividing the concentrations of products by the concentrations of reactants, with each concentration raised to the power of its respective stoichiometric coefficient. The concentration units used must be consistent, and the values used must represent the concentrations at equilibrium.
The value of equilibrium constant indicates the relative amounts of products and reactants at equilibrium. A larger K value suggests that the reaction favors the products, while a smaller K value suggests that the reaction favors the reactants. A K value close to 1 indicates that the amounts of products and reactants are approximately equal at equilibrium.
The value of equilibrium constant is dependent on temperature. An increase in temperature generally leads to an increase in the value of K for endothermic reactions and a decrease in the value of K for exothermic reactions. This is due to the fact that the equilibrium constant is based on the ratio of the rate constants for the forward and reverse reactions, which are affected by temperature.
Equilibrium constant is a constant value that is determined by the nature of the reaction and the temperature. It cannot be altered by changing the initial concentrations of reactants or products. However, it can be altered by changing the temperature, pressure, or the presence of a catalyst, which can shift the equilibrium in favor of products or reactants and thus change the value of equilibrium constant.
