Skip to content

Le Chatelier's Principle

Easychemistry

Consider the exothermic equilibrium reaction 2SO_2(g) + O_2(g) \rightleftharpoons 2SO_3(g). Which single change will shift the equilibrium to the right and increase the yield of SO_3?

Select the correct option:

๐Ÿ”’ Solution Hidden from View

Submit your answer to unlock the detailed step-by-step solution.

About This Question

Subject
chemistry
Chapter
equilibrium
Topic
le chatelier's principle
Difficulty
Easy
Year
2025
Tags
Le Chatelier principleeffect of concentrationeffect of temperatureeffect of pressureSO3 synthesis

Solution

Correct Answer:

Le Chatelier's principle states that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in conditions, the equilibrium will shift in the direction that tends to counteract the disturbance. Increasing the concentration of a reactant (SO_2) provides more reactant molecules, so the forward reaction is favoured to consume the excess, shifting equilibrium right and producing more SO_3. Option A (increasing temperature) is wrong because the forward reaction is exothermic; raising temperature favours the endothermic reverse reaction, shifting equilibrium left and decreasing SO_3 yield. Option B (decreasing total pressure) is wrong because the forward reaction has fewer moles of gas on the product side (2 moles products vs 3 moles reactants), so decreasing pressure favours the reverse (higher mole) direction, shifting equilibrium left. Option C (adding inert gas at constant volume) does not change the partial pressures of any reactant or product and therefore has no effect on the position of equilibrium. This is a standard NCERT Le Chatelier application problem and a frequent JEE Main question. Plausibility check: only adding SO_2 directly increases the reaction quotient Q relative to K_c, driving the reaction forward.

This easy difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter equilibrium, covering the topic of le chatelier's principle. It appeared in the 2025 exam.

Looking for more practice? Explore all chemistry questions or browse equilibrium questions on RankGuru.