To determine how the system at equilibrium will shift in each of the given cases, we need to apply Le Chatelier's principle. Le Chatelier's principle states that when a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will shift in a way that counteracts the disturbance and re-establishes equilibrium.
(a) When SO2(g) is added: According to Le Chatelier's principle, the equilibrium will shift to the left in order to consume some of the added SO2(g). This means that more SO3(g) will be formed, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of SO2(g) and O2(g), while the concentration of SO3(g) will increase.
(b) When the pressure is decreased by increasing the volume of the container: In this case, increasing the volume will decrease the pressure. According to Le Chatelier's principle, the equilibrium will shift to the side with more moles of gas to counteract the decrease in pressure. In this reaction, two moles of SO3(g) form two moles of SO2(g) and one mole of O2(g). Since the forward reaction involves a decrease in the number of moles of gas, the equilibrium will shift to the left, meaning that more SO3(g) will be formed.
(c) When the pressure is increased by adding Ne(g): Adding an inert gas like Ne(g) will not affect the equilibrium because the concentration of reactants and products will remain the same. Therefore, there will be no shift in the equilibrium.
(d) When the temperature is decreased: Decreasing the temperature will shift the equilibrium in the direction that produces heat. In this case, the reaction is exothermic (H° = 197 kJ). Therefore, a decrease in temperature will cause the equilibrium to shift to the right, favoring the exothermic reaction. This means more SO3(g) will be formed.
(e) When O2(g) is removed: According to Le Chatelier's principle, removing one of the products will shift the equilibrium to favor the formation of more of that product. In this case, if O2(g) is removed, the equilibrium will shift to the right, meaning that more SO2(g) and SO3(g) will be formed.
Please note that these predictions are based on the assumption that all other factors, such as concentration, remain constant. Also, it's important to note that the system may not fully shift to the predicted direction, but it will definitely move in that direction to counteract the given disturbance.