What happens to the equilibrium position when reactants are added?

What happens to the equilibrium position when reactants are added?

• A. The equilibrium shifts to the left.
• B. The equilibrium shifts to the right.
• C. The equilibrium remains unchanged.
• D. The reaction reverses completely.

Answer: (B)

When reactants are added to a system at equilibrium, the concentration of the reactants increases. According to Le Chatelier's principle, the system will respond to this change by shifting the equilibrium position in a direction that helps counteract the disturbance. In this case, by adding more reactants, the system shifts the equilibrium to the right, toward the production of products. This shift occurs because the reaction seeks to reduce the concentration of the added reactants by forming more products. As a result, the dynamic balance in the reaction is adjusted, allowing more of the reactants to be converted into products until a new equilibrium is established. Adding reactants enhances the forward reaction, thereby leading to an increase in the amount of product formed until the system balances again with the new concentrations. Thus, the correct understanding of the behavior of equilibrium systems under changes of concentration is that the equilibrium shifts to compensate for the change, which in this case is a shift to the right.

When reactants are added to a system at equilibrium, the concentration of the reactants increases. According to Le Chatelier's principle, the system will respond to this change by shifting the equilibrium position in a direction that helps counteract the disturbance. In this case, by adding more reactants, the system shifts the equilibrium to the right, toward the production of products.

This shift occurs because the reaction seeks to reduce the concentration of the added reactants by forming more products. As a result, the dynamic balance in the reaction is adjusted, allowing more of the reactants to be converted into products until a new equilibrium is established.

Adding reactants enhances the forward reaction, thereby leading to an increase in the amount of product formed until the system balances again with the new concentrations. Thus, the correct understanding of the behavior of equilibrium systems under changes of concentration is that the equilibrium shifts to compensate for the change, which in this case is a shift to the right.