Changing the Equilibrium Flashcards
Where is the ideal place for the equilibrium to lie in industry companies, and why?
To the right, to make more yield of products therefore to make more money.
What 3 things can you alter, to affect the equilibirum?
- Concentration
- Pressure
- Temperature
What is LeChatelier’s Principle?
If a system at equilibrium is subjected to any change, the system readjusts itself to counteract the applied change.
How does concentration, and amount alter the equilibrium?
- Increasing the starting material (and increasing the concentration) moves the equilibrium to the right to make more products.
- Adding more product moves the equilibrium to the left making more reactants.
In an exothermic reaction, what will Delta H look like? Why?
Negative. As the products have less energy than the reactants.
In an endothermic reaction, how will the Delta H look like? Why?
It will be positive. It takes in heat, so the products have more energy than the reactants.
What does La Chatelier’s principle suggest about temperature in equilibrium?
If the temperature is raised, the equilibrium position will move in the direction which lowers the temperature, the ENDOTHERMIC direction
What does La Chatelier’s principle suggest about pressure (gas) in equilibrium?
The equilibrium will shift in the position with the lowest number of moles of gas, to try and increase the pressure.
What would happen if pressure was reduced in a reaction?
It would move the equilibrium to the side of the most moles of gas to try and increase the pressure.
What are the conditions necessary for equilibrium position to be affected by pressure?
There must be a different number of moles of gas on each side of the arrow. They cannot be equal.
What does a catalyst do?
It SPEEDS UP a chemical reaction by lowering the ACTIVATION ENERGY, for both the forward and backward reactions by an equal amount. It increases the rates of forward and backward reaction, to reach equilibrium faster.
How would adding a catalyst look on a graph?
It would have the same start and end point, just a lower curve.
Does a catalyst alter the equilibrium position?
No, a catalyst does not alter the equilibrium position
