What is the effect of increasing temperature on the equilibrium constant of an exothermic reaction?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the effect of increasing temperature on the equilibrium constant of an exothermic reaction?
Increases
Decreases
Remains the same
Becomes zero
According to Le Chatelier's principle, increasing the temperature of an exothermic reaction shifts the equilibrium to the left, decreasing the equilibrium constant.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the effect of increasing temperature on the equilibrium constant of an exothermic reaction?
Solution: According to Le Chatelier's principle, increasing the temperature of an exothermic reaction shifts the equilibrium to the left, decreasing the equilibrium constant.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand what an exothermic reaction is. It is a reaction that releases heat.
Step 2: Know that the equilibrium constant (K) is a number that tells us the ratio of products to reactants at equilibrium.
Step 3: Learn about Le Chatelier's principle, which states that if you change the conditions of a reaction at equilibrium, the system will adjust to counteract that change.
Step 4: Recognize that increasing the temperature adds heat to an exothermic reaction.
Step 5: Apply Le Chatelier's principle: since the reaction releases heat, adding heat will shift the equilibrium to the left (toward the reactants).
Step 6: Understand that when the equilibrium shifts to the left, the concentration of reactants increases and the concentration of products decreases.
Step 7: Conclude that as a result, the equilibrium constant (K) decreases because it is based on the ratio of products to reactants.
