Which way will equilibrium shift if the volume is reduced?
1 answer
The equilibrium will shift towards the side with fewer moles of gas if the volume is reduced. This is because when the volume is reduced, the concentration of the gas molecules will increase. According to Le Chatelier's principle, the system will try to counteract this change by shifting the equilibrium towards the side with fewer gas molecules, thereby reducing the total pressure. If the reaction involves only solids, liquids, or aqueous solutions, the volume change will not affect the equilibrium.