Question

If equilibrium reactions rarely give 100% yield, how do you think our bodies are able to produce sufficient amounts of certain chemical compounds using equilibrium reactions? Think about reactions taking place in cells as reactions taking place in very small spaces with pumps leading in and out of the cell.

Answer 1

At equilibrium, the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction.

thus the interchange of reactants and products is constant.

equilibrium governs many of the chemical reactions taking place in the human body.In biochemical processes, the enzymes in our body catalyze "speed up" both the forward and reverse reactions . Therefore, our cells do not over-produce certain chemicals and always have reactants to convert into products in the forward direction when needed

any system at equilibrium,obeys Le Chatlier's principle.

Le Chatlier's principle state that if a stress is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system will adjust toward a new equilibrium state in a direction that reduces the stress

in cells,reactions taking place in very small spaces with pumps leading in and out of the cell-this is a protein pump found in the cell membrane of neurons  It acts to transport sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrane in a ratio of 3 sodium ions out for every 2 potassium ions brought in.the pump helps to stabilize membrane potential. the pump transports them in opposite directions against their concentration gradients