Factors Affecting Chemical Equilibrium: Le Chatelier’s PrincipleLe

Chatelier’s Principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the system will respond by shifting the equilibrium position to counteract the disturbance.

1. Concentration Changes increase in Reactant Concentration: Adding more of a reactant shifts the equilibrium to the right, favoring the formation of products to reduce the effect of the added reactant.Increase in Product Concentration: Adding more of a product shifts the equilibrium to the left, favoring the formation of reactants to reduce the effect of the added product.Decrease in Reactant/Product Concentration: The system will shift the equilibrium to increase the concentration of the removed component.

2. Pressure Changes (Applicable to Gaseous Equilibria)

Increase in Pressure: If pressure is increased (by decreasing volume), the equilibrium shifts towards the side with fewer moles of gas to reduce pressure.Decrease in Pressure: If pressure is decreased (by increasing volume), the equilibrium shifts towards the side with more moles of gas to increase pressure.

3. Temperature Changes

Exothermic Reactions: For reactions that release heat, increasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the left (towards the reactants), reducing the formation of products. Decreasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the right, favoring product formation.Endothermic Reactions: For reactions that absorb heat, increasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the right (towards the products), increasing product formation. Decreasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the left.

4. Catalysts effect of Catalysts:

Catalysts do not change the position of the equilibrium. They only increase the rate at which equilibrium is achieved by speeding up both the forward and reverse reactions equally.

5. Addition of Inert Gases

At Constant Volume: Adding an inert gas at constant volume does not affect the equilibrium position because it does not change the partial pressures of the reactants and products.At Constant Pressure: If an inert gas is added at constant pressure, it effectively increases the volume, leading to a shift in the equilibrium towards the side with more moles of gas.