What do stoichiometric coefficients in a balanced equation indicate for K?

In a balanced chemical equation, stoichiometric coefficients play a crucial role in calculating the equilibrium constant (K) for the reaction. When determining K, the concentrations of the reactants and products at equilibrium are raised to the power of their respective coefficients from the balanced equation. This means that if a substance has a coefficient of 2 in the balanced equation, its concentration would be included in the K expression as raised to the power of 2.

For example, consider a reaction written as: aA + bB ⇌ cC + dD.

The equilibrium constant expression (K) would be represented as: K = [C]^c[D]^d / [A]^a[B]^b, where the concentrations are elevated to the powers of their coefficients. This captures the mole ratios of the substances involved in the equilibrium state and illustrates how their proportions affect the overall position of equilibrium.

The other options do not accurately reflect the role of stoichiometric coefficients in determining K. They do not relate to how equilibrium is expressed mathematically within the context of concentrations and do not impact the calculation of K.