Q.State and explain Le Chatelier's principle. Which factors can alter the equilibrium state? OR 50 ml of 0.001 N HCl and 10 ml of 0.01 N H2SO4 are mixed together. Calculate pH of resulting solution.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Le Chatelier's principle: a system at equilibrium, when disturbed, shifts in the direction that opposes/minimises the disturbance; concentration, pressure/volume, and temperature can all shift an equilibrium, but a catalyst cannot.
Statement of Le Chatelier's principle:
If a system at dynamic equilibrium is subjected to a change in one of the factors that determine the equilibrium state (concentration, pressure, volume, or temperature), the system responds in a way that partially counteracts (opposes) that change, and a new equilibrium position is established.
Factors that can alter the equilibrium state:
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Change in concentration: Increasing the concentration of a reactant shifts the equilibrium forward (towards products) to consume some of the added reactant; increasing the concentration of a product shifts it backward. Removing a substance shifts the equilibrium in the direction that replenishes it.
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Change in pressure/volume: For gas-phase equilibria where the number of moles of gas differs between reactants and products, increasing the pressure (decreasing volume) shifts the equilibrium towards the side with fewer moles of gas (to reduce the total number of gas particles and partly counteract the pressure increase); decreasing pressure shifts it towards the side with more moles of gas. If the number of moles of gas is the same on both sides, pressure/volume changes have no effect on the equilibrium position.
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Change in temperature: For an exothermic reaction (releases heat), increasing temperature shifts the equilibrium backward (towards reactants), since the system tries to absorb the added heat; for an endothermic reaction (absorbs heat), increasing temperature shifts the equilibrium forward (towards products).
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