The equilibrium constant, represented as K, is a vital part of chemical reaction dynamics. It indicates the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a given reaction.
The equilibrium constant can be expressed either in terms of concentration ( \( K_{c} \)) or partial pressure ( \( K_{p} \)), depending on the state of the reactants and products. The key point about K is:
- If \( K > 1 \), products are favored at equilibrium.
- If \( K < 1 \), reactants are favored at equilibrium.
In the context of calculating \( \Delta G^{\circ} \), the value of K directly influences the sign and magnitude of \( \Delta G^{\circ} \). For example, a very large K (as seen in part (a) of the exercise with \( K = 5.62 \times 10^{35} \)) suggests that the reaction heavily favors the formation of products, leading to a highly negative \( \Delta G^{\circ} \), which indicates a spontaneous process. Conversely, a very small K (as in part (b) with \( K = 4.46 \times 10^{-15} \)) suggests a reaction heavily biased towards the reactants, resulting in a positive \( \Delta G^{\circ} \), indicating non-spontaneity.