Reversible Reactions

[Sophie_Ahmad_2F]

How do we know if a reaction is reversible or irreversible? Are there certain characteristics a reaction must meet?

[Ethan Frankel 2C]

A reversible process is one in equilibrium, meaning it occurs in incredibly small steps or changes. Therefore, the process can be reversed at any point without much effort. Irreversible processes are large or sudden changes and therefore cannot be reversed. For what we have been working on, work performed by a reversible process (for example gas in a cylinder) is greater than work done by an irreversible process.

[Jamie_Cole_2N]

Reversible reactions can be reversed by infinitely small changes in a variable.
For changes in pressure, Pex must ALWAYS be infinitesimally different from the pressure of the system.
For a change in temperature, the temperature of the system must change by a series of infinitely small amounts of heat flow or work done.
(The work a system can do is greatest in reversible processes).

When a process changes by FINITE amounts, it is irreversible in nature (and does not reverse the direction of travel for piston).

[marinarosebrock]

Does anyone know of the most applicable book problems regarding reversible reactions?