In a gaseous reaction, what determines the direction the equilibrium shift if the pressure is increased?
1 answer
According to Le Chatelier's principle, if the pressure is increased in a gaseous reaction, the equilibrium will shift to the side with fewer moles of gas. This is because increasing the pressure compresses the gases and reduces their volume, increasing the concentration of all the reactants and products. The equilibrium will shift to reduce the overall concentration of gases, which means it will shift towards the side of the reaction with fewer moles of gas.