Chemistry / Unit 10 Chem 1928 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Complex Ion Formation and Formation Constant Kf
Captions available
The idea
A complex ion forms when a metal ion, a Lewis acid, bonds several Lewis-base ligands, and Kf measures how far that equilibrium favors the complex.
In practice
Ag+ + 2 NH3 ⇌ Ag(NH3)2+ has a large Kf, so the complex strongly predominates once ammonia is present.
Where people slip
A large Kf mirrors a large Ka or K — it describes the equilibrium's extent, not its speed.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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