What is meant by the term reversible reaction?

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1. A reversible reaction is a chemical reaction where the reactants can form products, and the products can revert back to reactants under certain conditions.
2. In a reversible reaction, the forward reaction (reactants forming products) and the reverse reaction (products forming reactants) occur simultaneously.
3. The reaction reaches a state of dynamic equilibrium when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction, meaning the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time.
4. Reversible reactions are typically represented using a double arrow (⇌) in chemical equations, indicating that both the forward and reverse reactions are possible.
5. An example of a reversible reaction is the dissociation of acetic acid in water: \( \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} \leftrightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{COO}^- + \text{H}^+ \).

Key Concepts

Reversible Reaction

A reversible reaction is a chemical process where the reactants can be converted into products and, under certain conditions, the products can be converted back into the original reactants. This dynamic equilibrium allows both forward and reverse reactions to occur, depending on factors like concentration, temperature, and pressure.

Chemical Equilibrium

Chemical equilibrium is the state in which the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products over time. At this point, the system is balanced, and no net change occurs, although both reactions continue to take place.

Le Chatelier's Principle

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in concentration, temperature, or pressure, the system will adjust to counteract that change and restore a new equilibrium. This principle helps predict how a reversible reaction will respond to external changes.