According to Le Chatelier's principle, what happens if a change is made to a system at equilibrium?

According to Le Chatelier's principle, what happens if a change is made to a system at equilibrium?

• A. The system remains unchanged
• B. The system will shift in the direction of the change
• C. The system will always run forward
• D. The system will always run backward

Answer: (B)

Le Chatelier's principle states that if a system at equilibrium experiences a change in concentration, temperature, or pressure, the system will respond in a way that counteracts that change in order to restore a new equilibrium. This means that the system will shift in response to the imposed change, whether it be an increase or decrease in the concentration of reactants or products, changes in temperature, or changes in pressure for gaseous reactions. For instance, if the concentration of a reactant is increased, the system will shift to favor the production of products to reduce the concentration of that reactant, moving the reaction forward. Conversely, if the concentration of a product increases, the system will shift in the direction of the reactants to reduce the product concentration. Therefore, recognizing that the system works to oppose the change is crucial to understanding the dynamic nature of equilibria in chemistry. Thus, the choice indicating that the system will shift in the direction of the change accurately reflects Le Chatelier's principle.

Le Chatelier's principle states that if a system at equilibrium experiences a change in concentration, temperature, or pressure, the system will respond in a way that counteracts that change in order to restore a new equilibrium. This means that the system will shift in response to the imposed change, whether it be an increase or decrease in the concentration of reactants or products, changes in temperature, or changes in pressure for gaseous reactions.

For instance, if the concentration of a reactant is increased, the system will shift to favor the production of products to reduce the concentration of that reactant, moving the reaction forward. Conversely, if the concentration of a product increases, the system will shift in the direction of the reactants to reduce the product concentration. Therefore, recognizing that the system works to oppose the change is crucial to understanding the dynamic nature of equilibria in chemistry. Thus, the choice indicating that the system will shift in the direction of the change accurately reflects Le Chatelier's principle.