Equilibrium chemistry

Imagine that you have two friends, let's call them A and B, and they both want to sit on the same swing. But the swing can only fit one person at a time. So, they have to take turns using the swing.

Now, let's say that friend A is on the swing and friend B is waiting their turn. Friend A is happy on the swing and doesn't want to get off yet, but friend B really wants to use the swing too. So, friend B starts to push friend A to try to get them off the swing.

But friend A doesn't want to get off yet, so they push back on friend B. This back and forth pushing continues for a little while until finally, friend A decides they're ready to get off the swing and let friend B have a turn.

This back and forth pushing is kind of like what happens in equilibrium chemistry. In chemistry, different chemicals are constantly reacting with each other, trying to get to a state where they are most stable. But sometimes, the chemicals pushing on each other are equally strong, like friend A and friend B on the swing.

This balance between the chemicals is called equilibrium. At equilibrium, the chemicals are still reacting with each other, but the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, so the amounts of the chemicals don't change. It's like friend A and friend B sitting on the swing, pushing back and forth without either of them being able to get on the swing for a little while.

In equilibrium chemistry, we can use math and equations to figure out what the amounts of the chemicals will be at equilibrium. This can help scientists understand how chemical reactions work and even predict how different chemicals will react with each other in the future.