Introduction to reversible reactions

Reversible reactions
In the usual reaction we are accustomed to, reactants react to produce products. When the reactants are finished, the reaction comes to a complete
stop. The reaction is completed.
In reversible reactions, the reaction occurs in both directions on their own. Reactants react to make products, but at the same time, products
decompose to produce reactants. Look t the reaction below.
2N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
In this reaction, nitrogen reacts with hydrogen to produce ammonia, but ammonia decomposes to produce nitrogen and hydrogen. In this type of
reaction, reactants never completely run out and so the reaction never stops. The reaction does appear to stop but in actuality a state of balance is
reached where reactants form products at the same rate as products form reactants. This state of balance is known as equilibrium. At equilibrium,
the reaction seems to have stopped and products are being made at the same rate as they are being decomposed.
Factors that affect equilibrium.
In an equilibrium reaction (reversible reaction) the amount of product that is formed depends on the reaction. 3 factors affect equilibrium reactions.
-Temperature. How this affects an equilibrium reaction depends on whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic. For an exothermic reaction,
an increase in temperature causes less products to be formed, whereas a decrease in temperature causes more products to form. The opposite occurs
for an endothermic reaction, i.e. an increase in temperature causes an increase in the amount of products form while a decrease in temperature
causes a decrease in the amount of products form. E.g. the production of ammonia is an exothermic reaction. Decreasing the temperature causes
more product (ammonia) to form but increasing the temperature causes less product (ammonia) to form.
- Pressure. How this affects an equilibrium reaction depends on the number of moles of GASEOUS substances on the reactants and products side of
the equation. Look again at the equation for the formation of ammonia.
2N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
There are 5 moles of gaseous molecules on the reactant side, but only 2 moles of gaseous molecules on the product side. Increasing the pressure of
an equilibrium reaction causes the reaction to occur on the side with MORE gaseous molecules. Decreasing the pressure causes the reaction to occur

on the side with FEWER gaseous molecules.

Back to the equation for ammonia, increasing the pressure causes more product to form as the reactant particles react more since there are more
gaseous molecules on the reactant side. Decreasing the pressure causes less product to form since the product particle decompose more as there are
fewer gaseous molecules on the product side.
-Catalyst. A catalyst DOES NOT affect how much product is produced at equilibrium, but only affects how fast the product is made. The catalyst
therefore increases the rate of the reaction but not the quantity of products made.