Consider the reversible, first-order interconversion of two molecules A and B: <IMAGE> where k_f = 3.0⨉10-3 s^-1 is the rate constant for the forward reaction and kr = 1.0⨉10^-3 s^-1 is the rate constant for the reverse reaction. We'll see in Chapter 15 that a reaction does not go to completion but instead reaches a state of equilibrium with comparable concentrations of reactants and products if the rate constants k_f and k_r have comparable values.

(b) Draw a qualitative graph that shows how the rates of the forward and reverse reactions vary with time.