gen-briefly-explain-chemical-equilibrium-and-one-common-misconce-5a0a

Briefly explain chemical equilibrium and one common misconception about it.

## Chemical Equilibrium **Chemical equilibrium** occurs when a reversible reaction's forward and reverse reactions proceed at equal rates. At this point, the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant (though both reactions continue occurring). The ratio of products to reactants is described by the equilibrium constant (K). ## Common Misconception **"At equilibrium, reactants and products are present in equal amounts."** This is false. Equilibrium means the *rates* are equal, not the *concentrations*. Depending on the equilibrium constant: - If K >> 1: products dominate - If K << 1: reactants dominate - Only if K ≈ 1: comparable amounts exist The system is at equilibrium regardless of whether you have 99% products or 99% reactants—what matters is that concentrations stop changing because forward and reverse rates match.