Reversible Reactions Simplified Revision Notes for GCSE AQA Chemistry Combined Science

Revision notes with simplified explanations to understand Reversible Reactions quickly and effectively.

Learn about Reversibility & Equilibrium for your GCSE Chemistry Combined Science Exam. This Revision Note includes a summary of Reversibility & Equilibrium for easy recall in your Chemistry Combined Science exam

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6.2.1 Reversible Reactions

Non-Reversible Reactions:

Some chemical reactions are non-reversible, meaning they can only proceed in one direction, from reactants to products. These reactions are represented using a single arrow (→) pointing from the reactants on the left to the products on the right.

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Example: The reaction between vinegar (ethanoic acid) and sodium hydrogen carbonate:

CH_3​COOH(aq)​+NaHCO_3(aq)​→CH_3​COONa(aq)​+H_2​O(l)​+CO_2(g)​

In this reaction, carbon dioxide $(CO2)$ is produced as a gas and leaves the reaction, preventing a backward reaction.

Reversible Reactions:

In contrast, some chemical reactions can proceed in both the forward and backward directions. These are known as reversible reactions.
In reversible reactions, the products can react with each other to regenerate the reactants.

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Example: The reaction between hydrogen gas $(H_2)$ and iodine vapour $(I_2)$ to form hydrogen iodide $($$HI)$ :

Forward Reaction:

H_2+I_2→2HI

Backward Reaction:

2HI→H_2+I_2

To simplify notation, instead of writing two separate equations for the forward and backward reactions, a single equation is used with a double arrow (⇌) to indicate that the reaction is reversible.

Reversible Reaction Notation:

H_2+I_2⇌2HI

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