When K 1, neither the forward or reverse reaction is strongly favored

When K 1, neither the forward or reverse reaction is strongly favored, and about the same amount of reactants and products exist at equilibrium.

The Correct Answer and Explanation is :

Correct Answer:

When K≈1K \approx 1, neither the forward nor reverse reaction is strongly favored, and approximately equal amounts of reactants and products are present at equilibrium.

Explanation:

The equilibrium constant KK expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants for a reversible chemical reaction at equilibrium. Mathematically, KK is defined as: K=[Products]coefficients[Reactants]coefficientsK = \frac{[\text{Products}]^{\text{coefficients}}}{[\text{Reactants}]^{\text{coefficients}}}

The magnitude of KK indicates the extent to which a reaction proceeds:

1. When K>1K > 1: The numerator (products) dominates the ratio, meaning the reaction strongly favors the formation of products, and most reactants are converted into products.
2. When K<1K < 1: The denominator (reactants) dominates the ratio, meaning the reaction strongly favors the reactants, and only a small portion of them are converted into products.
3. When K≈1K \approx 1: Neither the reactants nor products dominate the equilibrium composition. Instead, their concentrations are roughly comparable, and both coexist in significant amounts.

This happens because the chemical potential driving the forward reaction approximately balances the reverse reaction’s driving force. At this point, the system reaches a dynamic equilibrium where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, maintaining steady concentrations of reactants and products.

The condition K≈1K \approx 1 often arises in reactions where the energy difference between reactants and products is minimal. For example, if the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG0\Delta G^0) of the reaction is close to zero, KK will be close to 1 because ΔG0\Delta G^0 and KK are related by the equation: ΔG0=−RTln⁡K\Delta G^0 = -RT \ln K

In summary, when K≈1K \approx 1, it signifies a balanced equilibrium state, with no strong bias toward either reactants or products.