LeChatelier Reallife Applications

Brianna Bush & Randy Lawrence

What is LeChateliers
Principle?
Chateliers Principle or The Equilibrium Law can
be used to predict the effect of a change in
conditions on a chemical equilibrium.

Stress on a chemical
equilibrium
Stresses can be caused when there is a change in a) pressure, b)
temperature, and c) concentration.
However, when adding an inhibitor or catalyst there is no change.

Change in Pressure
When there is a change in pressure it ONLY affects gases. The side that has the
most gas molecules has the most pressure. If you decrease the pressure on one
side the system will shift to the side with more moles of gas and vise versa.
An example would be the pressure in a soda bottle. The carbonation is caused
by carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. In a closed bottle the carbon dioxide
molecules are being gassed off by the liquid . At the same time and rate different
molecules are being dissolved back in the water.

Change in Temperature
When a reaction has heat in the equation and it is
being increased you will shift the equation to the
other side but when you decrease it you will shift
to the same side that the heat is leaving.
For example, ice water would be an example of
this. Ice absorbs heat when it is melting and
releases heat when it is freezing. If heat is taken
away from the glass of ice water when you put it
in the freezer then the system will try to replace
the heat by freezing more water.

Changes in Concentration
Decreasing concentration on the right will shift
the reaction to the right and decreasing on the
left will also shift it left. When increasing
concentration on a side on a reaction it will shift
the opposite way.

If you use this equation and increase the

concentration of A the equation will shift to the
right and favor the products, but if you were to
decrease the amount of concentration of A
then the reaction will shift to the left to replace
what is being lost.

Practice Problems
When extra NH3 is added to the following system
at equilibrium:
3H2 + N2 2NH3
A) No change occurs
B) The reaction shifts left, toward reactants
C) The reaction shifts right, toward the products

Answer: B

Practice Problems
When H2O is added to the following system at
equilibrium:
2H2O H2 + 2OH
A) The reaction will shift left, towards the reactant
B) The reaction will shift right, toward the
products
C) No change occurs

Answer: B

Practice Problems
When decreasing heat from the following system at
equilibrium: N2 + 3H2 2NH3 + Heat
A) The reaction will shift right, towards the products
B) No change will occur
C) The reaction will shift left, towards the reactants

Answer: A

Practice Problems
When increasing the concentration of NO in the
following reaction at equilibrium:
CO + NO2
CO2 + NO
A) No change occurs
B) The reaction shifts right, towards the products
C) The reaction shifts left towards the reactants

Answer : C

Practice Problems
When adding a catalyst to the following system at
equilibrium:
C2H6 H2 + C2H4
A) No change occurs
B) The reaction will shift left, towards the
reactants
C) The reaction will shift right, towards the
products

Answer: A

Practice Problems
When adding an inhibitor to the following system
at equilibrium:
C2H6 H2 + C2H4
A) The reaction shifts right, towards the products
B) The reaction shifts left, towards the reactants
C) No change occurs

Answer: C

Sources
http://
dl.clackamas.edu/ch105/lesson8lechateliers_principle.
html
http://
www.ehow.com/how_5112083_use-le-chatelier.html
http://
www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier.ht
ml
http://
www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/taters/LeChatelier.htm