Back to Chapter 15 · The Equilibrium Balance
The mixture is steady, but the reactions continue
A steady mixture can still react. Compare amounts, rates, and the amount converted in each direction.
Schematic teaching diagram · labels and text explain each state.
Read the sequence
- Start with all A. The forward rate is initially high because A is abundant; the reverse rate starts at zero.
- As B forms, the reverse rate grows and the forward rate falls. The total amount A + B stays constant.
- Near equilibrium, the two average rates match. Here K = [B]/[A] = kf/kr = 3, so the equilibrium amounts are unequal.
- Watch both cumulative conversion counters continue increasing after the bars appear steady. Individual events do not have to occur in synchronized pairs.
About this model. The curves show a continuous kinetic model with a total amount normalized to 1. Icons and moving arrows are illustrative. K describes equilibrium composition; its value alone does not tell you how quickly equilibrium is reached.