Chemistry Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for scientists, academics, teachers, and students in the field of chemistry. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
This equation has been described as an equilibrium in an article, how would you explain it to someone with not a lot of understanding of it.
The equation is: $\ce{CH3COOH <-> CH3COO- + H+}$
Although the description is of an equilibrium, it can be clearly seen that it is a resonance arrow. So how would you describe it?
No, no it's not a resonance arrow my friend, it has to be an arrow for equilibrium because it is a reaction equation of $\ce{CH3COOH}$ in its aqueous solution. It will dissociate feebly into its constituent ions because its a really weak acid. Thus establishing equilibrium quite a lot first.
Moreover in a resonance arrow we describe the same compound with different structures (which are all correct) and that is why we establish a resonance hybrid to denote all such possible resonating diagrams in a single diagram fulfilling the properties of the compound.
Nevertheless a resonance arrow can't anyway turn into a dissociation reaction arrow.
