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Hi, how do I know which is product and which is reactant, when there are just plus signs? Or just arrows?

Like 2NO2(g)⇌N2O4(g) or when it's like this...CO2 (aq) + H2O (l)⇌H (aq) + HCO3. THANK YOU VERY MUCH:):):)

1 Answer

Mar 29, 2018

By convention we focus on the forward reaction when we write the equilibrium constant. That is, the products are by convention on the right.

$2 {NO}_{2} (g) ⇌ N_{2} O_{4} (g)$ $2"NO"_2(g) rightleftharpoons "N"_2"O"_4(g)$

$K_{c} = \frac{[products]}{[reactants]} = \frac{[N_{2} O_{4}]}{{[{NO}_{2}]}_{2}^{2}}$ $K_c = (["products"])/(["reactants"]) = (["N"_2"O"_4])/(["NO"_2]^2)$

${CO}_{2} (a q) + H_{2} O (l) ⇌ H^{+} (a q) + {HCO}_{3}^{-} (a q)$ $"CO"_2(aq) + "H"_2"O"(l) rightleftharpoons "H"^(+)(aq) + "HCO"_3^(-)(aq)$

$K_{c} = \frac{[products]}{[reactants]} = \frac{[H^{+}] [{HCO}_{3}^{-}]}{[{CO}_{2}]}$ $K_c = (["products"])/(["reactants"]) = (["H"^(+)]["HCO"_3^(-)])/(["CO"_2])$

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