Question detail
A reversible reaction at equilibrium is exothermic in the forward direction. If the temperature is decreased, predict the effect on the position of equilibrium and explain your reasoning using Le Chatelier's Principle.
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
Question
Type
exam_style
Style
Topic
Reversible reactions and dynamic equilibrium
Question
A reversible reaction at equilibrium is exothermic in the forward direction. If the temperature is decreased, predict the effect on the position of equilibrium and explain your reasoning using Le Chatelier's Principle.
Answer
Decreasingthe temperature will shift the equilibrium position to the right, favoringthe exothermicdirection, which produces more products.
Explanation
This answer demonstrates understandingof Le chatelier's Principle, which states that a system at equilibrium will respond to oppose an imposed change. By decreasingthe temperature, the system shifts to produce heat, favoringthe exothermicreaction. This answer is strongest when it stays anchored to The effect of temperature changes on equilibrium (HT only) and directly addresses (HT only) Predict that decreasingtemperature favours the exothermicdirection of a reversible reaction.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Temperature Effects
Students often think that decreasing temperature always increases the rate of reaction instead of favouring the exothermic direction of a reversible reaction.
Remember that decreasing temperature favours the exothermic direction, which can lead to increased product yield, but it does not necessarily mean the reaction rate will increase.
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