If the temperature of an exothermic reaction at equilibrium is increased, what is the expected effect on the equilibrium position?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If the temperature of an exothermic reaction at equilibrium is increased, what is the expected effect on the equilibrium position?
Shifts to the right
Shifts to the left
No effect
Reaction rate increases
For an exothermic reaction, increasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the left, favoring the reactants, as the system attempts to absorb the added heat.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: If the temperature of an exothermic reaction at equilibrium is increased, what is the expected effect on the equilibrium position?
Solution: For an exothermic reaction, increasing the temperature shifts the equilibrium to the left, favoring the reactants, as the system attempts to absorb the added heat.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that an exothermic reaction releases heat.
Step 2: Recognize that at equilibrium, the reaction can go in both directions: forward (producing products) and backward (producing reactants).
Step 3: Know that increasing the temperature adds heat to the system.
Step 4: Apply Le Chatelier's Principle, which states that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will shift to counteract the disturbance.
Step 5: Since the reaction is exothermic, adding heat will cause the equilibrium to shift to the left, favoring the reactants.
Step 6: Conclude that the expected effect of increasing the temperature is a shift towards the reactants.
