Lesson 20 Le Chateliers Principle and Calculations

1. Le Chateliers Principle
a. Overview/recap of the basic principle
b. Changing the concentration of a reactant or a product
c. Changing the temperature (for both endothermic and exothermic reactions)
d. Changing the volume
2. Quantitative changes in chemical systems ( i.e. calculations)
a. The reaction quotient, Q, versus Keq
b. Determining if a system is at equilibrium and how a system will shift in order to establish
equilibrium
c. Calculations using the Perfect Squares Approximation
d. Calculations using the 100 Rule Approximation
e. Calculations using the Quadratic Equation
3. Cobalt Chloride Experiment

Le Chateliers Principle

When a system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in property, the system adjusts in a way that
opposes the change.
Disruption of Equilibrium:
1. Concentration changes (increase or decrease in concentration of either reactants or products)
2. Temperature changes (increase or decrease in temperature)
3. Gas Volume (and therefore pressure) changes
Note: The presence of catalysts and inert gases do not cause a shift in equilibrium
Example 1 Effect of Concentration Changes on Equilibrium
Consider the following system at equilibrium: CCl 4(l) + 2 HF(g) CCl2F2(g) + 2 HCl(g)

Example 2 Effect of Temperature Changes on Equilibrium

Exothermic Reactions
aA + bB cC + dD + Energy

Endothermic Reactions
Energy + aA + bB cC + dD

Example 3 Gas Volume (Pressure) Changes

Consider the following system at equilibrium:

N2(g) + 3 H2(g) 2 NH3(g)

Quantitative Changes in Chemical Systems

Recall that for the general reaction

aA + bB cC + dD

Keq = [C]c[D]d/[A]a[B]b
Given the concentration of reactants and products in any closed system it is possible to determine if the
system is in equilibrium. The given concentrations are substituted into the equilibrium law to give a value
for Q, the reaction quotient. The value of Q is compared to Keq. There are three possible outcomes.
Q = Keq
Q > Keq
Q < Keq
An analysis of the outcome will determine whether the system needs to shift left or shift right in order to
establish equilibrium. This will, in turn, determine whether the changes in concentration of the reactants
and products are positive or negative.
Analysis:

Example 4 (p. 464, Nelson 12, 2003 edition) Simple Calculations involving Q
Liquid dinitrogen tetroxide, N2O4(l), was used as a fuel in Apollo missions to the moon. In a closed
container the gas N2O4(g) decomposes to nitrogen dioxide, NO2(g). The equilibrium constant, K, for this

reaction is 0.87 at 55C. A vessel filled with N2O4(g) at this temperature is analyzed twice during the
course of the reaction and found to contain the following concentrations:
a. [N2O4(g)] = 5.30 mol/L; [NO2(g)] = 2.15 mol/L
b. [N2O4(g)] = 0.80 mol/L; [NO2(g)] = 1.55 mol/L
In each case, determine whether the system is in equilibrium, and if not, predict the direction in which the
reaction will proceed to achieve equilibrium.

Example 5 (p. 472, Nelson 12, 2003 edition) Calculation involving the perfect square simplification
If 1.00 mol of each of carbon dioxide and hydrogen is initially injected into a 10.0 L reaction chamber at
986C, what would be the concentrations of each entity at equilibrium?
CO2 (g) + H2 (g) CO (g) + H2O (g)

K = 1.60 for 986C

Example 6 (p. 476, Nelson 12, 2003 edition) Calculation involving imperfect squares and the
hundred rule approximation
The equilibrium constant, K, is 4.20 X 10-6 at a temperature of 1100 K for the reaction
2 H2S(g) 2 H2(g) + S2(g)
What concentration of S2(g) can be expected when 0.200 mol of H2S(g) comes to equilibrium at 1100 K
in a 1.00 L container?

Example 7 (p. 480, Nelson 12, 2003 edition) Calculations involving imperfect squares and the
quadratic equation
In a sealed container, nitrogen dioxide is in equilibrium with dinitrogen tetroxide.
2 NO2(g) N2O4(g)

K = 1.15 at 55C

Find the equilibrium concentration of nitrogen dioxide and dinitrogen tetroxide if the initial concentration
of nitrogen dioxide is 0.650 mol/L.

Mini-Lab: Testing Le Chateliers Principle with cobalt(II) chloride (CoCl2) hexahydrate

[Co(H2O)6]2+(aq)
(pink)

+ 4 Cl-(aq) [CoCl4]2-(aq) + 6 H2O(l)

(blue)

Pre-Lab Preparation (In-class)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

State the title and date of this experiment in your lab books.
Record the balanced equation above in your lab books.
Look up and record the pertinent dangers and precautions for the chemicals in this mini-lab.
Wear safety goggles at all times.
Record all results and in-class analysis in your lab books.
Fill a 200 mL beaker to one third of capacity with water and heat the water on a hot plate (in
preparation for part 2)

Part 1 Blue Solution Analysis

7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

Identify the type of equilibrium that exists in this solution?

What should happen when H2O is added to the blue solution?
Add water drop wise until a change is seen. What actually happens? Explain why.
How could you reverse this change?
Test your speculation. Record your results. Explain your results.

Part 2 Pink Solution Analysis

12. Identify the type of equilibrium that exists in this solution?
13. What should happen when KCl is added to the pink solution? Record your results. Were your
expectations met? Explain why or why not.
14. What happens when the pink solution containing KCl is heated? Is the reaction endothermic or
exothermic? Add the energy term to the correct side of the equation for the type of reaction that
you are suggesting and give reasons for your answer.
15. What should happen when conc. HCl is added to the pink solution? What actually happens?
Explain why.