When K is large, which type of reaction is favored?

When the equilibrium constant ( K ) is large, it indicates that the products of a reaction are favored over the reactants at equilibrium. A large ( K ) value means that at equilibrium, the concentration of products is significantly greater than that of the reactants, suggesting that the forward reaction—converting reactants into products—occurs to a much greater extent than the reverse reaction.

In chemical reaction equilibrium, ( K ) is defined as the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants, each raised to the power of their respective coefficients in the balanced equation. Therefore, a high ( K ) value reflects a strong tendency for the forward reaction to occur, leading to a predominance of products.

This concept is critical in understanding the directionality of reactions and how conditions such as concentration changes, temperature, or pressure can affect the equilibrium position.