The
magnitude of the equilibrium constant
K indicates the
extent to which reactants are converted to products at equilibrium.
- For product-favoured reactions, products are present at equilibrium in much higher concentration than reactants.
Products are in the numerator of the reaction quotient expression; therefore product-favoured reactions have large K. As a rough guideline, reactions having K greater than 10 are product-favoured.
- For reactant-favoured reactions, reactants are present at equilibrium in much higher concentration than products
Reactants are in the denominator of the reaction quotient expression; therefore reactant-favoured reactions have small K. As a rough guideline, reactions having K less than 0.001 are reactant-favoured.
- Reactions with K between 0.001 and 10 are neither product-favoured nor reactant-favoured as significant amounts of BOTH products and reactants are present at equilibrium.