Chemistry 30

FAQ | Formulas & Tables | Glossary | Home | Lab Storage | Site Map
Thermodynamics: Unit Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources

 

Kinetics: Unit Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources
Equilibrium: Unit Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources
Solutions: Unit Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources
Acids & Bases: Module Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources
Redox Reactions: Module Index | Practice Problems | Assignments | Student Lab | Research Ideas | Teacher Resources

 

subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link | subglobal7 link
subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link | subglobal8 link

Chemical Equilibrium

3.4 Changes in Temperature

When temperature is the stress that affects a system at equilibrium, there are two important consequences:

  • an increase in temperature will favour that reaction direction that absorbs heat (i.e. the endothermic reaction)
  • the value of Keq will change

Consider the following equilibrium system

N2O4 (g ) 2 NO2 (g)    ΔH° = +58.0 kJ

We see by the sign of ΔH° that the forward reaction is endothermic. Heat is absorbed (required as a reactant) when the reaction proceeds as

N2O4 (g ) → 2 NO2 (g)

By adding more heat, equilibrium will shift to use up the additional heat, thus favouring this forward direction.

Why will Keq change, when it did not change when concentration, pressure, and volume were the applied stresses?

When temperature changes cause an equilibrium to shift, one entire side of the reaction equation is favoured over the other side. Mathematically, this will alter the value of Keq as follows:

Keq
=
[products]

[reactants]
if the forward reaction is favoured
more products are produced; fewer reactants
Keq will increase
if the reverse reaction is favoured
fewer products; more reactants
Keq will decrease

So in our example given above, increasing the temperature will favour the forward direction. The value of Keq will increase.

Removing heat (making the system colder) will favour the exothermic reaction - the exothermic reaction releases heat to the surroundings, thus "replacing" the heat that has been removed.

Lab Activity

Le Châtelier's Principle

 

Credits | Central iSchool | Sask Learning | Saskatchewan Evergreen Curriculum | Updated: 31-May-2006