The first step we are going to take in order to know the meaning of the term thermal balance is to know the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:
-Equilibrium, first of all, comes from Latin, specifically from "aequilibrium", which is the result of the sum of two very different parts: "aequus", which can be translated as "equal", and the noun "libra", which It is synonymous with "balance."
-Chemist, secondly, we can determine that the Arabic "kimiyá" comes from it, which is synonymous with "philosopher's stone" or "alchemy."
The idea of balance appears in different areas linked to science. Balance, in this framework, is a state or situation where harmony or equanimity exists. The notion also refers to what happens when the forces acting in a system counteract each other .
The chemical , on the other hand, is related to the composition of bodies . The science dedicated to the analysis of the properties, structure and changes of bodies, in fact, is called chemistry .
From these concepts, we can understand what chemical equilibrium is. This is the name given to the state in which the concentration of a product or reactant and the chemical activity do not register net changes over time .
Thermal equilibrium is reached when the development of a reversible reaction is carried out in the same proportion as its reverse reaction. The rates of these reactions, therefore, are equal and no net variations in concentrations occur.
It should be remembered that a chemical reaction is a process that leads substances (the reactants) to undergo changes in their molecular structure and their bonds, becoming products . When reactants are mixed, they do not completely transform into products. After a certain time, if the opposite reactions reach the same reaction rate , chemical equilibrium is created and the relationship established by the reactants and products remains fixed.
In addition to all the above, we cannot ignore the fact that the chemical balance can be broken, that is, it can be modified. Specifically, this can be caused by different disturbances, among which we can highlight the following:
-A change can take place in what the temperature is.
-In the same way, it is possible that the end of the aforementioned chemical equilibrium occurs because a modification has occurred in the volume. This situation can occur when gases come into play.
-Likewise, a change in the concentration of certain reactants can also cause this alteration of balance.
In addition to all of the above, we must not overlook the fact that around these variations in balance there exists what is known as Le Chatelier's Principle. This indicates that a change in its state brings with it what is a displacement in the sense of minimizing what is the effect caused by the disturbance.