L1 - Introduction to Equilibrium & Dynamic Equilibrium

It’s one of the last long weekends of the summer and you are spending the weekend beside a lake. Unfortunately, a rain shower is approaching, and it looks like you will have to take a break from your lakeside activities. Fortunately, there is plenty to do inside the cabin with your friends. Maybe you will get a seat at the card game that started a few hours ago.

It might not seem immediately obvious, but systems at equilibrium are all around you. Can you identify any systems at equilibrium in the situation described in the paragraph above?

To identify a system at equilibrium, you have to know the characteristics that define equilibrium. In this lesson you will begin to investigate equilibrium in chemical systems by learning about the different types of equilibrium that can exist. You will also learn the conditions that define a system at equilibrium.

Consider the following questions as you complete this lesson:

• What is equilibrium?
• What is happening in a system that is in equilibrium?
• How can you determine whether a system is open or closed?
• What is a reverse reaction and why is it important in an equilibrium system?
• What changes occur during dynamic equilibrium?