More Activities to Demonstrate Dynamic Equilbrium
1. Finding Equilibrium-A Water Based Activity
Another activity that can be done in class as a mini-lab is demonstrated in the video below, courtesy of YouTube. Students investigate "a system" reaching equilibrium using the transfer of water between two containers. The first container represents the reactants and is full of water while the second container representing the products is initially empty. Students use beakers to transfer water from the reactants side and products side simultaneously-representing the rate of each reaction. Students record volumes throughout the transfer of water between containers until the volume of each container is no longer changing with each transfer and equilibrium is reached. The activity can be taken one step further by having students stop in intervals to record the "concentrations" and then plot a graph of the results.
2. Getting Active with Dynamic Equilbrium
This activity is quite easy to do, with no set-up required. Have all students stand at one end of the classroom-representing the reactant concentration. Have the other end of the classroom represent the product concentration. With one student on each end as a record, have students make their way over to the product side of the classroom in small groups for the first run and then have them go back and forth in predetermined amounts to simulate the simultaneous reactions occurring until the recorder on each side announces that the concentrations of students are unchanging. This is the same idea as the water transfer activity but with no set up required and the addition of a little physical activity. The activity can be taken one step further by having students stop in intervals to record the "concentrations" and then plot a graph of the results.