temp. increase favors endothermic?

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Kneecoal

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I know it's part of Le Chatelier's and all that, but I'm having trouble understanding why an increase in temp. favors and endothermic rxn and a decrease in temp. favors exothermic.

can someone please explain why?

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When a reaction is endothermic just place a little triangle symbolizing heat on the reactants side and treat it just like a reactant. So if we increased that reactant (heat) then it would drive the equilibrium to the right. Now think of an exothermic reaction, place the triangle on the right as a product, if we were to add heat to the reaction mixture we would be adding a product and driving the reaction back to the left. What if we took heat out of the reaction mixture and the reaction is exomthermic, we would then be removing a product and pushing the equilibrium to the right. If this doesn't make sense just say so and I will try and find another way to explain but you should try writing this out to see if it makes sense.
 
Its all about maintaining equilibrium. If you have the equation "A+B <==> C+heat" the reaction from right to left is obviously endothermic and left to right is exothermic. When you add heat it will shift the equation left, which is clearly the endothermic direction. Its the same principle as adding more C which which also shift the equation left.
 
ahhhh i get it now. the part about taking heat out like it's a product just helped me visualize it. thanks!
 
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yeh destroyer has a good problem - jan2009 destroyer GC #38 - that has a good method that will def help you remember this concept.
 
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