Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 31m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 27m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines39m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 41m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium

Le Chatelier's Principle

GOB Chemistry

7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium

Le Chatelier's Principle

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1:53 minutes

Problem 61a

Textbook Question

When the following equilibria are disturbed by increasing the pressure, does the concentration of reaction products increase, decrease, or remain the same?
a. 2 CO₂(g) ⇌ 2 CO(g) + O₂(g)

Verified step by step guidance

Analyze the equilibrium reaction: 2 CO2(g) ⇌ 2 CO(g) + O2(g). This is a gaseous reaction, so the effect of pressure changes can be determined using Le Chatelier's Principle.

Count the number of moles of gas on each side of the reaction. On the left side (reactants), there are 2 moles of CO2. On the right side (products), there are 2 moles of CO and 1 mole of O2, for a total of 3 moles of gas.

According to Le Chatelier's Principle, if the pressure is increased, the equilibrium will shift to the side with fewer moles of gas to reduce the pressure. In this case, the left side (reactants) has fewer moles of gas (2 moles) compared to the right side (3 moles).

Since the equilibrium shifts to the left (toward the reactants) when pressure is increased, the concentration of the reaction products (CO and O2) will decrease.

Conclude that increasing the pressure causes the equilibrium to favor the formation of reactants, leading to a decrease in the concentration of the products.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Le Chatelier's Principle

Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the system will adjust to counteract the change and restore a new equilibrium. In the context of pressure changes, the system will shift in the direction that reduces the pressure, which typically means favoring the side with fewer gas molecules.

Equilibrium Constant (K)

The equilibrium constant (K) quantifies the ratio of concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium for a given reaction at a specific temperature. Changes in pressure can affect the concentrations of gases involved in the reaction, but the value of K remains constant unless the temperature changes. Understanding K helps predict how concentrations will shift in response to pressure changes.

Mole Ratio and Gas Volume

In gas reactions, the mole ratio of reactants and products is crucial for understanding how changes in pressure affect the system. According to the ideal gas law, increasing pressure favors the side of the reaction with fewer moles of gas. In the given equilibrium, there are 3 moles of gas on the product side (2 CO + 1 O2) and 2 moles on the reactant side (2 CO2), indicating that increasing pressure will shift the equilibrium towards the reactants.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

What effect do the listed changes have on the position of the equilibrium in the reaction of carbon with hydrogen?

C(s) + 2 H₂(g) ⇌ CH₄(g) ∆H = -18 kcal/mol (-75kJ/mol)

a. Increasing temperature

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Textbook Question

What effect do the listed changes have on the position of the equilibrium in the reaction of carbon with hydrogen?

C(s) + 2 H₂(g) ⇌ CH₄(g) ∆H = -18 kcal/mol (-75kJ/mol)

b. Increasing pressure by decreasing volume

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Textbook Question

What effect do the listed changes have on the position of the equilibrium in the reaction of carbon with hydrogen?

C(s) + 2 H₂(g) ⇌ CH₄(g) ∆H = -18 kcal/mol (-75kJ/mol)

c. Allowing CH₄ to escape continuously from the reaction vessel

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Textbook Question

Why do catalysts not alter the amounts of reactants and products present at equilibrium?

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Textbook Question

For the following equilibria, use Le Châtelier's principle to predict the direction of the reaction when the pressure is increased by decreasing the volume of the equilibrium mixture.

a. C(s) + H₂O(g) ⇌ CO(g) + H₂(g)

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Textbook Question

The reaction CO(g) + H₂O(g) ⇌ CO₂(g) + H₂(g) has ∆H = -9.8 kcal/mol (-41 kJ/mol). Does the amount of H₂ in an equilibrium mixture increase or decrease when the temperature is decreased?

The reaction H₂(g) + I₂(g) ⇌ 2 HI(g) has ∆H = -2.2 kcal/mol (-9.2 kJ/mol). Will the equilibrium concentration of HI increase or decrease when

c. A catalyst is added?

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Textbook Question

The reaction H₂(g) + I₂(g) ⇌ 2 HI(g) has ∆H = -2.2 kcal/mol (-9.2 kJ/mol). Will the equilibrium concentration of HI increase or decrease when

b. H2 is removed?

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