Reversible reactions

• What does this symbol mean ⇌ ?

  Reversible reaction
• What is a reversible reaction?

  Shows that the products can react to reform the original reactants and the reactants can form the products.
• How do we change the direction of reversible reactions?

  By changing the conditions, such as heating and cooling.
• What are the energy changes taking place in reversible reactions (copper sulfate) ?

  If we heat hydrated copper sulfate(which is blue), then it reacts to form anhydrous copper sulfate, which is white. The reaction also produces water. Because we are heating this, we are putting energy in and this means the forward reaction is endothermic. If we take anhydrous copper sulfate and add the water back, then the reaction reverses. Here, energy is released and the reaction gets hot, this tell us the reverse reaction is exothermic. hydrated copper sulfate ⇌ anhydrous copper sulfate + water
• What is energy like in reversible reactions?

  If a reversible reaction is exothermic in one direction, it is endothermic in the opposite direction. They same amount of energy is transferred in each case.
• What is equilibrium?

  Where the forward and reverse reactions take place at exactly the same rate.