Question detail
If Kc is less than 1 for a reaction, what can be inferred about the concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
Question
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Topic
Chemical equilibria, Le Chatelier's principle and Kc
Question
If Kc is less than 1 for a reaction, what can be inferred about the concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium?
Answer
If Kc is less than 1, it indicates that at equilibrium, the concentration of reactants is greater than that of products. This means the reaction favors the reactants. This answer is anchored to Equilibrium constant Kc.
Explanation
If Kc is less than 1, it indicates that at equilibrium, the concentration of reactants is greater than that of products. This means the reaction favors the reactants. is the best answer because it directly supports the AQA A-Level Chemistry objective to interpret the magnitude of Kc in terms of equilibrium position. This reasoning is anchored to Equilibrium constant Kc in Chemical equilibria, Le Chatelier's principle and Kc, and it separates magnitude of Kc from similar A-Level ideas rather than relying on a vague recall statement. Other options are weaker if they use the wrong evidence, calculation, mechanism, observation, unit, or conclusion for this subtopic.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Kc Values
Students often confuse the magnitude of Kc with the direction of the reaction's favorability, believing that a larger Kc always indicates a reaction that goes to completion.
To correct this, students should understand that a large Kc value indicates that at equilibrium, the concentration of products is much greater than that of reactants, but it does not mean the reaction goes to completion.
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