👉 Equilibrium math, often rooted in chemical kinetics and thermodynamics, describes a state where the rates of forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in no net change of reactants and products over time. This is mathematically represented by the equilibrium constant (K), which quantifies the ratio of product concentrations to reactant concentrations at equilibrium, each raised to their stoichiometric coefficients. For a general reaction \(aA + bB \rightleftharpoons cC + dD\), the equilibrium expression is \(K = \frac{[C]^c [D]^d}{[A]^a [B]^b}\), where the exponents correspond to the stoichiometric coefficients in the balanced equation. The value of K provides insight into the position of equilibrium: a large K (>1) indicates products are favored, while a small K (<1) suggests reactants dominate. Le Chatelier's principle further explains how disturbances (e.g., temperature, concentration changes) shift the equilibrium to counteract the change, maintaining a dynamic balance governed by these mathematical relationships.
