Question

effect of catalyst on equilibrium state of a reversible process

Answer 1

A catalyst never affects the equilibrium state of a process.

Answer 2

Le Chatelier’s Principle

Le Chatelier’s principle states that changes to an equilibrium system will result in a predictable shift that will counteract the change.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Recall factors that Le Chatelier’s principle states will affect the equilibrium of a system

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Key Points

Le Chatelier’s principle can be used to predict the behavior of a system due to changes in pressure, temperature, or concentration.

Le Chatelier’s principle implies that the addition of heat to a reaction will favor the endothermic direction of a reaction as this reduces the amount of heat produced in the system.

Increasing the concentration of reactants will drive the reaction to the right, while increasing the concentration of products will drive the reaction to the left.

Key Terms

equilibrium: The state of a reaction in which the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are the same.

collision theory: Relates collisions among particles to reaction rate; reaction rate depends on factors such as concentration, surface area, temperature, stirring, and the presence of either a catalyst or an inhibitor.

Le Chatelier’s principle is an observation about chemical equilibria of reactions. It states that changes in the temperature, pressure, volume, or concentration of a system will result in predictable and opposing changes in the system in order to achieve a new equilibrium state. Le Chatelier’s principle can be used in practice to understand reaction conditions that will favor increased product formation. This idea was discovered and formulated independently by Henri Louis Le Chatelier and Karl Ferdinand Braun.