6.2.4 - 6.2.7 The effect of changing conditions on equilibrium

Question 1

What does the relative amounts of all the reactants and products at equilibrium depend on?

Answer 1

The conditions of the reaction

Question 2

If a system is at equilibrium and a change is made to any of the conditions, what does the system do?

Answer 2

Responds to counteract the change.

Question 3

How can the effects of changing conditions on a system be predicted?

Answer 3

Using Le Chatelier’s Principle

Question 4

What is Le Chatelier’s principle?

Answer 4

The idea that if you change the conditions of a reversible reaction at equilibrium, the system will try to counteract the change

Question 5

What is Le Chatelier’s principle used for?

Answer 5

To predict the effect of any changes you make to a reaction system.

Question 6

How does the system respond if concentration of reactants or products is changed?

Answer 6

The system will no longer be at equilibrium, so it responds to bring itself back to equilibrium again.

Question 7

What happens if you increase the concentration of reactants?

Answer 7

The system tries to decrease it by making more products until equilibrium is reached again.

Question 8

What happens if you decrease the concentration of products?

Answer 8

The system tries to increase it by reducing the amount of reactants until equilibrium is reached again.

Question 9

What is the only type of equilibrium affected by changing pressure?

Answer 9

An equilibrium involving gases

Question 10

What happens if you increase the pressure?

Answer 10

The equilibrium tries to reduce it - it moves towards the direction where there are fewer molecules of gas.

Question 11

What happens if you decrease the pressure?

Answer 11

The equilibrium tries to increase it - it moves towards the direction where there are more molecules of gas.

Question 12

What happens if you decrease the temperature?

Answer 12

The equilibrium will move in the exothermic direction to produce more heat, meaning you’ll get more products for the exothermic reaction and fewer for the endothermic reaction.

Question 13

What happens if you increase the temperature?

Answer 13

The equilibrium will move in the endothermic direction to try and decrease it, meaning you’ll get more products for the endothermic reaction and fewer products for the exothermic reaction.