GCSE Chemistry Revision — Le Chatelier's Principle
Revise Le Chatelier's Principle for GCSE Chemistry with a topic explanation, worked example and common mistakes. Check the board notes for specification differences.
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What is Le Chatelier's Principle?
Le Chatelier's principle states that if a change is made to the conditions of a system at equilibrium, the system will respond to counteract the change. This principle is used to predict how changes in temperature, pressure, or concentration will affect the position of equilibrium.
Board notes: Le Chatelier's principle is a higher-tier topic for all exam boards and is essential for explaining industrial process conditions. You must be able to predict the effect of changing temperature, pressure, and concentration on the position of equilibrium for a given reversible reaction.
Step-by-step explanationWorked examples
Worked example
In the Haber process, N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) ⇌ 2NH₃(g), the forward reaction is exothermic. To increase the yield of ammonia, you would use a low temperature (to favour the exothermic direction) and a high pressure (to favour the side with fewer moles of gas).
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Common mistakes
- 1Applying the principle incorrectly. Remember the system tries to *oppose* the change. If you increase temperature, the equilibrium will shift in the endothermic direction to absorb the extra heat.
- 2Forgetting that a catalyst does not change the position of equilibrium. It speeds up both the forward and reverse reactions equally, so equilibrium is reached faster.
- 3Confusing the effect of pressure on reactions with an equal number of moles of gas on both sides. In this case, a change in pressure has no effect on the position of equilibrium.
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Frequently asked questions
What does 'shifting the equilibrium' mean?
Shifting the equilibrium means that the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are temporarily unequal, causing a change in the concentrations of reactants and products until a new equilibrium position is established.
How does changing concentration affect equilibrium?
If you increase the concentration of a reactant, the equilibrium will shift to the right to use up the extra reactant and make more product. If you remove a product, the equilibrium will shift to the right to replace it.