Science Common Sense

1332 - What is a reversible reaction?

A reversible reaction is a chemical reaction that can go in two directions. It's like a two-way street.

Imagine you have two friends, A and B. They can shake hands and become "AB" (that's the reaction). But then, after a while, they can also break apart and become A and B again. This is a reversible reaction.

The arrow symbol in a reversible reaction is different from a one-way reaction. In a reversible reaction, it looks like this: ⇌ (a double-sided arrow).

For example: 2H₂ + O₂ ⇌ 2H₂O

This means hydrogen and oxygen can combine to form water, but water can also break down into hydrogen and oxygen. That's why it's called reversible!