Equilibrium 
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Topics

Equilibrium is an important concept for AP courses.  An equilibrium problem appears on every AP exam.  However, there is a simplifying feature: When calculating changes needed to reach equilibrium, the change in initial concentrations can be neglected. 

Topics related to equilibrium are found under Equilibrium in the outline of topics. 

• Concept of dynamic equilibrium, physical and chemical 
• Le Chatelier's principle 
• Equilibrium constants
• Quantitative treatment of 
• Equilibrium constants for gaseous reactions
• Conversion between K_p and K_c 
• Equilibrium constants for reactions in solution
• Equilibrium constants for acids and bases; pK; pH
• Solubility product constants and their application to precipitation and the dissolution of slightly soluble compounds
• Common ion effect
• Buffers
• Hydrolysis (acid-base behavior of salts of weak acids and weak bases)

The summary of  Calculations in the outline of topics includes calculations involving equilibrium constants and their applications, including their use for simultaneous equilibria. 

Projects

Review the necessary material from a general chemistry text of your choosing and 

1. Complete the problem set.
2. Create two new free response questions similar to an AP essay question based on information drawn from one of the web sites provided.  Post the question and answer on the CHM 599 list server.
3. Create two new multiple choice questions and post the questions and answers.
4. Optional Project:  Use a spreadsheet program to manipulate a set of data and draw conclusions. 

• The programs EQUILIB-Web and AQUALIB-Web will do complete equilibrium calculations.  These programs are so complete that they even give the concentration of H₂ expected from the equilibrium between water, oxygen and hydrogen in aqueous systems. 
• http://www.crct.polymtl.ca/FACT/web/factweb.htm
• A discussion of solubilities of sulfides and other slightly soluble compounds in "Black Smokers" and other sea floor vents.
• http://rho.pmel.noaa.gov/oerd/RANDALL/WEB/CHEMISTRY/circulation.html
• Haber's Nobel prize introduction and a more balanced discussion of his contributions from Scientific American.  Not only do these sites serve as background for the Haber process for synthesis of ammonia, but they provide insight to the controversy surrounding Haber's Nobel Prize.
• http://nobel.sdsc.edu/laureates/chemistry-1918-press.html
• http://www.soils.wisc.edu/~barak/soilscience326/haber_amsci.htm
• Composition of some buffer solutions (click on Structure for the composition)
• pH = 4.0:  http://www.camd.lsu.edu/msds/b/buffer_solution_4.htm
• pH = 7.0:  http://www.camd.lsu.edu/msds/b/buffer_solution_7.htm
• pH = 10.0:  http://www.camd.lsu.edu/msds/b/buffer_solution_10.htm
• Carbon dioxide solubility in water
• http://jcbmac.chem.brown.edu/myl/hen/carbondioxideHenry.html
• Vapor pressure of water
• http://www.chem.uidaho.edu/~honors/vaptemp.html
• What a regenerative dryer is and how it works.
• http://www.saharahenderson.com/whatis.htm
• Experiments with the solubility of carbon dioxide that involve equilibria.
• http://mattson.creighton.edu/Microscale_Gas_Chemistry.html
• Equilibrium movies from the Senses Bureau
• http://www-wilson.ucsd.edu/education/gchem/equilibrium/eqintro.html
• Microscale Gas Chemistry, acid-base properties of ammonia, fruit juice indicators.
• http://mattson.creighton.edu/Microscale_Gas_Chemistry.html
• Acid-base buffers and titrations problem set, with answers.
• http://science.widener.edu/svb/pset/buffer.html


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