http://www.ck12.org Chapter 19. Equilibrium
CHAPTER
(^19) Equilibrium
Chapter Outline
19.1 THENATURE OFEQUILIBRIUM
19.2 LECHÂTELIER’SPRINCIPLE
19.3 SOLUBILITYEQUILIBRIUM
19.4 REFERENCES
Cave explorers are very familiar with stalactites and stalagmites. These picturesque formations occur as water rich in
minerals seeps through the ground and drips from the ceiling of the cave. One of the prominent minerals in the water
is calcium carbonate, an ionic compound that is nearly insoluble in water. As the water evaporates, precipitates of
calcium carbonate, colored by the presence of other ions, form and harden. Stalactites are the icicle-like structures
that hang from the ceiling, while stalagmites grow upward from the ground. When they meet, spectacular columns
form, as seen above. The solubility of ionic compounds involves an equilibrium that occurs between the solid
compound and the ions in a solution. However, equilibrium is a general concept that applies to more than just
precipitation reactions. In this chapter, you will learn about different types of equilibrium and how changes to the
reaction conditions can manipulate that equilibrium, thus increasing or decreasing the amount of products formed in
a reaction.
Oregon Caves.www.f lickr.com/photos/oregoncavesn ps/ 9939448605 /.CC BY 2. 0.