Le Chateliers Principle Practice 2
Le Chateliers Principle Practice 2
13 Chemical Equilibrium
LE CHATELIER’S PRINCIPLE
A system at equilibrium (e.g., a weak acid solution or a chemical reaction that does not go to completion) can be
upset by adding or removing chemicals, heat, or volume. The chemicals will shift to partially undo the stress. This
is called Le Châtelier’s Principle. The four steps are:
o determine the STRESS (too much ____ or too little ___)
o state which direction the system will SHIFT (“scoopy arrow”)
o draw in the FIRST ARROW (add chemical = , remove chemical = )
o state whether the OTHER ARROWS will increase () or decrease () or remain unchanged (—) matching the
“scoopy arrow”.
2. Indicate how each of the following changes affects the amount of each gas in the system below:
When the question asks about concentration of chemicals rather than amount, a subtlety occurs. Concentration is
moles per Liter. A solid or a liquid cannot change concentration, so it will always be (—). The amount of a
solid of liquid can change, but the concentration will not change.
The Rules:
Add a reactant, shift to the products.
Add a product, shift to the reactants.
Increase temperature, shift away from heat.
Decrease temperature, shift toward heat.
Increase pressure (reduce volume), shift toward side with fewer moles of gas.
Decrease pressure (increase volume), shift toward side with more moles of gas.
Concentration of solids and liquids cannot change, adding a solid or liquid will not shift the equilibrium.
The only stress that changes the Keq is temperature.
A catalyst does not change the equilibrium… it allows the system to reach the same equilibrium more quickly.