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Reaction Quotient

Definition

The Reaction Quotient (Q) measures the relative amounts of products and reactants present during a reaction at a particular point in time.

Related terms

Equilibrium Constant (K): This tells us what the ratio of products to reactants is when a chemical reaction reaches equilibrium.

Le Chatelier’s Principle: As mentioned above, this principle states that if an external stress is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system adjusts in a way that minimizes the stress.

Shifts in Equilibrium: Changes in concentration, temperature, or pressure can cause a shift in equilibrium. Depending on the change, the reaction may shift to favor either the reactants or products.

"Reaction Quotient" appears in:

Study guides (4)

AP Chemistry - 7.3 Reaction Quotient and Equilibrium Constant
AP Chemistry - 7.4 Calculating the Equilibrium Constant
AP Chemistry - 7.10 Reaction Quotient and Le Châtelier’s Principle
AP Chemistry - 7.11 Introduction to Solubility Equilibria

Practice Questions (2)

In a reaction with an equilibrium constant K = 10^-3, if the reaction quotient Q = 10^-4, what can be said about the direction of the reaction?
A reaction has an equilibrium constant K of 2.5 x 10^-3 at a certain temperature. If the reaction quotient Q is calculated to be 8.0 x 10^-4, what can be said about the direction of the reaction?

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