Reversible Reactions & Dyanamic Equilibrium

• A double arrow tells us that products can break back down into the reactants
• The reactants to products is forward, and the products to reactants is backwards

  
• The backward and forward reactions can take place at different rates. For example in the beginning the forward reaction will be fast and the backward won't have started yet. As the reaction progresses the backward reaction will speed up and the forward reaction will slow down.
• Eventually, the rates of reaction in the forward and backward reaction will reach equilibrium. This means both reactions are still happenings but essentially cancel each other out. So there will be no overall change in the concentrations of the reactants and products.
• Just because concentrations are constant, it doesn't mean they are the same.
• If you have more reactants you would say the equilibrium lies to the left.
• If you have you have more products you would say the equilibrium lies to the right.
• Reversible reactions can only be done in a closed system. None of the reactants or products can escape. As otherwise we would never reach equilibrium.
• Reversible reactions are always exothermic in one direction and endothermic in the other.
• Endothermic requires heat energy from the surroundings to work. Heating a reversible reaction will cause the endothermic reaction to work better and shift the equilibrium.
• If you decrease the temperature of an exothermic reaction yield of products will increase