Determining K

[Ananya Ravikumar 1I]

What is the difference between a reaction "lying to the right" versus an equilibrium being shifted to the right" in terms of K values (K<1, K>1, K=1)?

[Kathleen Vo 1G]

Hey there!

For this one, whichever way it "lies", just visualize the equilibrium being pushed to that side. So when a reaction is "lying to the right", that just means that the equilibrium is shifted right and favors products. This then tells us that the K-value is large, or greater than 1. Essentially, "lying to the right" and "shifted to the right" can mean the same thing (K>1), but if you want to get specific, I like to think that a reaction "lying to the right" is currently shifting in that direction, while a "shifted" reaction is one that is somewhat stable. But ultimately, they mean the same thing!

lying to the right, shifted right: K>1
lying to the left, shifted left: K<1

[005966393]

K>1 is lying to the right, and K<1 is lying to the left