Learning Objectives:: The Equilibrium Mixture

Learning objectives: Some industrial processes, like the production or ammonia or sulfuric
acid, have reversible reactions as a key step. In closed systems these

-+ State Le Chatelier's principle.
reactions would produce equilibrium mixtures containing both
-+ Explain how an equilibrium products and reactants. In principle, you would like LO increase the
position is affected by proportion of products. For this reason it is important LO understand
concentration, temperature, how to control equilibrium reactions.
pressure, or a catalyst.
Specification reference: 3.1.6 The equilibrium mixture
It is possible to change the proportion of reactants rn products in an
equilibrium mixture. In this way you are able to obtain a greater yield
of the products. This is called changing the position of equilibrium.
• If the proportion of products in the eq uilibrium mixture is
increased, the equilibrium is moved LO th e right, or in the forward
direction.
• If the proportion of reactants in the equi librium mixture is
increased, the equilibrium is moved LO the left, or in the backward
direction.
You can often move the equilibrium position to the left or right by
varying conditions like temperature, the concentration or species
involved, or the pressure (in the case of reactions involving gases).
Le Chatelier's principle
Le Chatelier's principle is useful because it gives us a rule. It tells us
whether the equilibrium moves to the right or to the left when the
conditions of an equilibrium mixture are changed.
Ir states:
If a system at equilibrium is disturbed , the equilibrium moves
in the direction that tends to re duce t h e disturbance.
So in other words, if any factor is changed which affects the
equilibrium mixture, the position of equ ilibrium will shift so as tO
oppose the change.
Le Chatelier's principle does not tell us how far the equilibrium moves
so you cannot predict the quantities involved.
Changing concentrations
If you increase the concentration or one of the reactants, Le Chatelier's
principle says that the equilibrium will shifl in the direction that tends
to reduce the concentration of this reactant. Look at the reaction:
A(aq) + B(aq) . - C(aq) + D(aq)
Suppose you add some extra A. This would increase the concentration
.A Figure 1 Henri-Louis Le [hotelier of A. The only way that this system can reduce the concentration of
was a French chemist whofirs t put A, is by some of A reacting with B (so forming more C and D). So,
forward his 'Loi de stabilite dequilibre adding more A uses up more B, produces more C and D, and moves
chimique' in 1884 the equilibrium to the right. You end up with a greater proportion of
products in the reaction mixture than before you added A. The same
thing would happe n if you added more B.
You could also remo ve C as it was formed. The equilibrium would
move to the right to produ ce more C (and D) using up A and B. The
same thing wo uld happe n if you removed Das soon as it was formed.
You can decrease the pressure by
Changing the overall pressure pulling out the synnge barrel.
Pressure changes o nly affect reactions involving gases. Changing the
overall pressure will only change the position of equilibrium of a
gaseous reactio n if the re are a different number of molecules on either
side of the equatio n. [ :
For a moment the mixture becomes
An example of a such a reaction is: paler because you have reduced the
concentration of brown N0 2 .
dinitrogen tetraoxide nitrogen dioxide

l mole
colou rless
2 moles
brown [ :
Increasing the pressure of a gas means that there are more molecules After a few moments the mixture
of it in a given volume - it is equivalent ro increasing the concentration becomes darker brown as the
equ1libnum moves to the right and
of a solution. more brown N0 2 is formed.
II you increase the pressure on this system, Le Chatelier's principle tells
us that the positio n of equilibrium will move to decrease the pressure. •Figure 2 N20igJ .,.- 2NO,,(g)
This means that it will move to the left because fewer molecules The equilibrium moves to the right as
e xert less pressure. In the same way if you decrease the pressure, the you decrease the pressure
equilibrium will move to the right - molecules of N 2 0 4 will decompose
to form molecules of N02 , thereby increasing the pressure. Hint
Dinitrogen te traoxide is a colourless gas and nitrogen dioxide is brown. Increasing the pressure or
You can investigate this in the laboratory, by setting up the equilibrium decreasing the volume of a
mixture in a syringe. If yo u decrease the pressure, by pulling out the mixture of gases increases the
syringe barrel. yo u can watch as the equilibrium moves to the right concent ration of all the reactants
because the colo ur of the mixmre gets browner, see Figure 2. and products by the same amount,
not just one of them.
Note that if there is the same number of moles of gases on both
sides of the equation, then pressure has no effect on the equilibrium
position. For example:
Hint
The rate at which equilibrium is
2 moles 2 moles reached will be speeded up by
The equilibrium position will not change in this reaction when the increasing the pressure, as there
pressure is changed so the proportions of the three gases will stay will be more collisions in a given
the same. time.
Changing temperature
Reversible reactions that are exothermic (give out heat) in one Study tips
direction arc endothermic (take in heat) in the other direction, sec
• The term move forwards and
Topic 4.4. The size of the enthalpy is the same in both directions but
the sign changes. move to the right mean the
same thing in this context.
Example 1 • The term move backwards
Suppose you increase the te mperature of an equilibrium mixture that
and move to the left mean the
is exothermic in the forward direction. An example is:
same thing in this context.
t:,.H~ =- 197 kJ mo1- 1

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Learning objectives: Some industrial processes, like the production or ammonia or sulfuric

acid, have reversible reactions as a key step. In closed systems these

dinitrogen tetraoxide nitrogen dioxide

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