Jævnvægte

Jævnvægte refers to the state of equilibrium in a chemical reaction. This state is reached when the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction. At this point, the net concentrations of reactants and products remain constant, although the reactions themselves continue to occur in both directions. It is important to note that jænvægte does not imply that the concentrations of reactants and products are equal, but rather that they are no longer changing.

The position of jænvægte can be influenced by several factors, including temperature, pressure, and the concentration of reactants and products. Le Chatelier's principle describes how a system at jænvægte will respond to these changes. If a change is imposed, the system will shift in a direction that counteracts the change, thus re-establishing a new state of jænvægte. For instance, increasing the concentration of a reactant will cause the reaction to shift towards the products to consume the excess reactant.

The concept of jænvægte is fundamental to understanding chemical kinetics and thermodynamics. It is often quantified by an equilibrium constant, which provides a ratio of product concentrations to reactant concentrations at jænvægte. This constant is temperature-dependent and indicates the extent to which a reaction proceeds towards completion.