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Le Chatelier's Principle

This document provides an overview of Le Chatelier's Principle, which states that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed by changing conditions, the equilibrium will shift to counteract the change. Specifically, it discusses how the equilibrium position shifts in response to changes in concentration, pressure, or temperature. It uses the example of an equilibrium reaction between substances A, B, C, and D to demonstrate how increasing the concentration of A would shift the equilibrium rightward to decrease the concentration of A, while decreasing the concentration of A would shift the equilibrium leftward to increase the concentration of A. The document emphasizes that Le Chatelier's Principle only describes the direction of the equilibrium shift, not the underlying reasons for it.

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258 views2 pages

Le Chatelier's Principle

This document provides an overview of Le Chatelier's Principle, which states that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed by changing conditions, the equilibrium will shift to counteract the change. Specifically, it discusses how the equilibrium position shifts in response to changes in concentration, pressure, or temperature. It uses the example of an equilibrium reaction between substances A, B, C, and D to demonstrate how increasing the concentration of A would shift the equilibrium rightward to decrease the concentration of A, while decreasing the concentration of A would shift the equilibrium leftward to increase the concentration of A. The document emphasizes that Le Chatelier's Principle only describes the direction of the equilibrium shift, not the underlying reasons for it.

Uploaded by

Jega Sky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

3/3/2015

LeChatelier'sPrinciple

LECHATELIER'SPRINCIPLE
ThispagelooksatLeChatelier'sPrincipleandexplainshowto
applyittoreactionsinastateofdynamicequilibrium.Itcovers
changestothepositionofequilibriumifyouchange
concentration,pressureortemperature.Italsoexplainsvery
brieflywhycatalystshavenoeffectonthepositionof
equilibrium.
Important:Ifyouaren'tsureaboutthewordsdynamic
equilibriumorpositionofequilibriumyoushouldreadthe
introductorypagebeforeyougoon

Itisimportantinunderstandingeverythingonthispageto
realisethatLeChatelier'sPrincipleisnomorethanauseful
guidetohelpyouworkoutwhathappenswhenyouchangethe
conditionsinareactionindynamicequilibrium.Itdoesn'texplain
anything.I'llkeepcomingbacktothatpoint!

UsingLeChatelier'sPrinciple
AstatementofLeChatelier'sPrinciple
Ifadynamicequilibriumisdisturbedbychangingthe
conditions,thepositionofequilibriummovestocounteract
thechange.

UsingLeChatelier'sPrinciplewithachangeof
concentration
Supposeyouhaveanequilibriumestablishedbetweenfour
substancesA,B,CandD.

Note:Incaseyouwonder,thereasonforchoosingthis
equationratherthanhavingjustA+Bonthelefthandsideis
becausefurtherdownthispageIneedanequationwhichhas
differentnumbersofmoleculesoneachside.Iamgoingto
usethatsameequationthroughoutthispage.
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier.html

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3/3/2015

LeChatelier'sPrinciple

Whatwouldhappenifyouchangedtheconditionsby
increasingtheconcentrationofA?
AccordingtoLeChatelier,thepositionofequilibriumwillmovein
suchawayastocounteractthechange.Thatmeansthatthe
positionofequilibriumwillmovesothattheconcentrationofA
decreasesagainbyreactingitwithBandturningitintoC+D.
Thepositionofequilibriummovestotheright.

Thisisausefulwayofconvertingthemaximumpossibleamount
ofBintoCandD.Youmightuseitif,forexample,Bwasa
relativelyexpensivematerialwhereasAwascheapandplentiful.
Whatwouldhappenifyouchangedtheconditionsby
decreasingtheconcentrationofA?
AccordingtoLeChatelier,thepositionofequilibriumwillmove
sothattheconcentrationofAincreasesagain.Thatmeansthat
moreCandDwillreacttoreplacetheAthathasbeenremoved.
Thepositionofequilibriummovestotheleft.

Thisisesssentiallywhathappensifyouremoveoneofthe
productsofthereactionassoonasitisformed.If,forexample,
youremovedCassoonasitwasformed,thepositionof
equilibriumwouldmovetotherighttoreplaceit.Ifyoukepton
removingit,theequilibriumpositionwouldkeeponmoving
rightwardsturningthisintoaonewayreaction.

Important
Thisisn'tinanywayanexplanationofwhythepositionof
equilibriummovesinthewaysdescribed.AllLeChatelier's
Principlegivesyouisaquickwayofworkingoutwhathappens.
Note:Ifyouknowaboutequilibriumconstants,youwillfind
amoredetailedexplanationoftheeffectofachangeof
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier.html

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