The discussion centers on whether the time taken to reach equilibrium in a chemical reaction is the same when starting from reactants versus products under identical conditions. There is an intuitive belief that this time is consistent, but participants express difficulty in finding references or proof to support this notion. The conversation suggests that switching the roles of reactants and products could provide insight, as it allows for examining the reaction from different starting points. One participant encourages self-investigation and application of existing models to explore the question further. While acknowledging the complexity of the topic, another participant highlights their familiarity with integrated rate laws and equilibrium law but admits to a lack of clarity on how to apply these concepts to the specific question. The discussion concludes with an acknowledgment that the time required to reach equilibrium could theoretically be infinite, depending on the model used.
