Chemical Equilibrium: K_c and Moles

In summary, the reaction between ethanoic acid and ethanol to form ethyl ethanoate and water is an example of dynamic equilibrium, catalyzed by H^+ ions. When determining the value of K_c for this reaction, the number of moles of each substance is only necessary, not the concentrations. This is because the units of volume in the concentration of the substances cancel each other out in the calculation for K_c. The system does not change during the reaction, meaning the concentrations of the reagents on both sides of the arrow are denoted in the same way.
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recon
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Chemistry is not one of my strong subjects, so please bear with me. Here's one of the questions we were given as homework, of which I'm having some trouble with. I'm sure it's pretty elementary, but the problem is that I'm unable to express the answer clearly enough.

Question:
The reaction of ethanoic acid with ethanol to form ethyl ethanoate and water is an example of dynamic equilibrium. It is catalysed by the presence of [tex]H^+[/tex] ions.

[tex]CH_3CO_2H(l) + C_2H_5OH(l) \rightleftharpoons CH_3CO_2C_2H_5(l) + H_2O(l)[/tex]

State why, in determining the value of [tex]K_c[/tex] for this reaction, it is only necessary to know the number of moles rather than the concentrations of each substance.

My answer (We are given only two lines of answering space):
EDIT: Deleted answer; it's severely wrong. I'll try and come up with a new one.
 
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  • #2
Is there another way of expressing the following idea: "The units of volume in the concentration of the substances cancel each other out in the calculation for [tex]K_c[/tex]"?
 
  • #3
Is there another way of expressing the following idea: "The units of volume in the concentration of the substances cancel each other out in the calculation for "?
that's one way to state it
 
  • #4
For the reaction [tex]aA+bB\rightleftharpoons cC+dD[/tex]
K is calculated by
[tex]K=\frac{[C]^c[D]^d}{[A]^a^b}[/tex]

The capital letters within the brackets denote the molarities of the reagents in the reaction.

The reaction takes place within one system, Does the system change druing the reaction? And in case it doesn't what does that mean for the way you denote the concentrations of the reagents both on the left and on the right of the arrows?
 
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1. What is chemical equilibrium?

Chemical equilibrium is a state in a chemical reaction where the rates of forward and backward reactions are equal, resulting in no net change in the concentrations of reactants and products.

2. How is chemical equilibrium represented mathematically?

Chemical equilibrium is represented by the equilibrium constant, Kc, which is the ratio of the product concentrations to the reactant concentrations at equilibrium.

3. What is the significance of the value of Kc in a chemical equilibrium?

The value of Kc provides information about the extent of the reaction at equilibrium. A larger value indicates a higher concentration of products, while a smaller value indicates a higher concentration of reactants.

4. How is the number of moles of each species involved in a chemical equilibrium related to Kc?

The number of moles of each species involved in a chemical equilibrium is directly proportional to the value of Kc. This means that if the concentrations of the reactants and products change, the value of Kc will also change accordingly.

5. Can Kc be used to predict the direction of a reaction?

Yes, Kc can be used to predict the direction of a reaction. If the value of Kc is greater than 1, the reaction will favor the formation of products. If the value of Kc is less than 1, the reaction will favor the formation of reactants. If the value of Kc is equal to 1, the reaction is at equilibrium and there will be no net change in the concentrations of reactants and products.

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