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Equilibria That Shift Left upon Addition of More Reactant

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Jeffrey E. Lacy

Department of Chemistry, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA 17257

J. Chem. Educ., 2005, 82 (8), p 1192

DOI: 10.1021/ed082p1192

Publication Date (Web): August 1, 2005

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Most textbook presentations of Le Châtelier's principle in general and physical chemistry do not include a discussion of constant pressure conditions for which addition of a reactant can shift the equilibrium to the left. We propose presentations of isothermal, open systems at constant pressure for both levels of study by using concepts and skills that the respective students already possess. In addition, we derive novel criteria based on the stoichiometry of the reaction that can be used to identify those equilibria that will shift left upon addition of more reactant.

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Curriculum

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Misconceptions / Discrepant Events

Keywords (Subject):

Equilibrium

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Citing Articles

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This article has been cited by 3 ACS Journal articles (3 most recent appear below).

The Adverse Effects of Le Châtelier's Principle on Teacher Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium
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- The Adverse Effects of Le Châtelier's Principle on Teacher Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium
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  Journal of Chemical Education2009 86 (4), 514
  Although the scientific inadequacy of Le Châtelier's principle has long been documented in the literature, the principle is still treated as a central concept of chemical equilibrium by textbook writers and teachers in many countries. In the past, ...
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Exception to the Le Châtelier Principle
David S. Corti and Mark J. Uline
Journal of Chemical Education2007 84 (9), 1427
- Exception to the Le Châtelier Principle
  David S. Corti and Mark J. Uline
  Journal of Chemical Education2007 84 (9), 1427
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Effect of a Perturbation on the Chemical Equilibrium: Comparison with Le Châtelier's Principle
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Journal of Chemical Education2007 84 (3), 516
- Effect of a Perturbation on the Chemical Equilibrium: Comparison with Le Châtelier's Principle
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  Journal of Chemical Education2007 84 (3), 516
  This article develops a general thermodynamic treatment to predict the direction of shift in a chemical equilibrium when it is subjected to a stress. This treatment gives an inequality that relates the change in the perturbed variable and the change that ...
  Abstract | Hi-Res PDF | PDF w/ Links