Le Chatelier

[Sammy1024]

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My Kaplan book says that if V is decreased and P is increased, the equation will shift towards the side with less miles of gas. If the right has 2 mol gas and the left has 5 mol gas, does that mean it will shift to the right?

 

[gublagu3]

Exactly! It will shift to the right. The basic idea behind Le Chatlier's Principle is to maintain the status quo. So, if the pressure increases due to decrease in volume, a shift will occur to respond to that pressure increase. In this case, the equation will move towards the side which decreases the pressure. (which is the right as it has fewer moles of gas)

 

[Sammy1024]

Thanks!! The directions of shifts are always so confusing!