Question

How does volume affect Le Chatelier’s principle?

Answer 1

Hint:The Le Chatelier principle is known as the equilibrium law which helps in prediction of the effect of some changes on the system during the chemical equilibrium. It says that equilibrium tends to adjust the reaction in backward and forward direction in a way such that it accepts the changes which are affecting the conditions of equilibrium. The factors which affect are pressure, volume , concentration.

Complete answer:
When there is change in volume, pressure or inert gases the reactions are not affected by liquids and solids. They may have some effect during gaseous reaction and that too if there is some difference in the sum of the number of reactants and the product of the molecules that is $$\Delta $$n is not zero.So when the $$\Delta $$n is positive the decrease in the volume and increase in the pressure would affect the product formation by decreasing it. The pressure decreasement and the volume increment have opposite effects on the increasing product formation. The inert gases do not tend to take part in the reaction and will increase the pressure or the volume only. So when the volume is constant the addition of the inert gases would increase the pressure thereby decreasing the formation of product. When the $$\Delta $$n is 0 there will be no effect on equilibrium if we change the pressure, volume or inert gas.When the $$\Delta $$n is negative then on decreasing the volume or increasing the pressure the formation of the product will increase. At the constant volume on adding the inert gas we would see that the pressure will increase by increasing the product formation.

Note:In the exothermic equilibrium on increasing the temperature the product formation will decrease. While in an endothermic reaction to increasing the temperature the formation of the product increases. On adding the catalyst the equilibrium and the reaction rate remain the same.