Altering Chemical Equilibrium

Applying Le Chateliers Principle

Purpose: To investigate the effect of changing concentration, temperature and
pressure on the equilibrium state.

Materials:
-One 100 ml beaker

-5 ml pipette

-One 50 ml graduated cylinder

-5 test tubes

-0.2 M FE(NO3)3

-2.0 M FeCl3

-0.1 M AgNO3

-0.05 M KSCN

-Dropper
-Stirring rod

- 6 M NaOH

Part 1: Effect of Changing Concentration on Equilibrium

Observations
Test

Substance Added

Colour change
(darker or lighter)

A
B
C
D
E

Nothing
FeCl3
Fe(NO3)3
NaOH
AgNO3

No change
Darker
Darker
Lighter
Lighter

Change in
concentration of
FeSCN2+
No change
Increase
Increase
Decrease
Decrease

Follow-up Questions:
1.a) What was the total volume of the solution after step 2?
Ans: 42 ml
1.b) Calculate the concentration of the Fe3+ and SCN- after mixing but
before the reaction started
Ans: Concentration of Fe3+
C1V1=C2V2
(0.2M)(0.001L)=C2 (0.042L)
C2= 0.005 mol/L

Concentration of SCNC1V1=C2V2
(0.05M)(0.001L)=C2 (0.042L)
C2= 0.001 mol/L
2. Copy and complete the following table:
Test

Substance added

A
B
C
D
E

Nothing
FeCl3
Fe(NO3)3
NaOH
AgNO3

Effect
Which ion in the
mixture is altered?
Increase or
decrease in
concentration?
None
Fe=increase
Fe=increase
Fe=decrease
SCN=decrease

Equilibrium shifts
(towards products
or reactants)

None
Products
Products
Reactants
Reactants

3. Indicate what happened to the concentration of each ion as a result of

the stress introduced in each test.
Test
A
B
C
D
E

Fe3+
Nothing
Increase
Increase
Decrease
Increase

SCNNothing
Decrease
Decrease
Increase
Decrease

FeSCN2+
Nothing
Increase
Increase
Decrease
Decrease

4. For each of test tubes B, C, D and E, explain the observed changes in

terms of Le Chateliers Principle.
Ans:
B= Fe concentration increases therefore SCN decreases causing an equilibrium shift
towards the product
C= Fe concentration increases therefore SCN decreases causing an equilibrium shift
towards the product
D= Fe concentration decreases therefore SCN increases causing an equilibrium shift
towards the reactants

E= SCN concentration decreases therefore the Fe increases causing an equilibrium

shift towards the reactants
5. In general, in which direction does an equilibrium shift when
a) The concentration of the reactants is increased? Ans: right
b) The concentration of the products is increased? Ans: left
c) The concentration of the reactants is decreased? Ans: left
d) The concentration of the products is decreased? Ans: right
Follow-up Questions:

Part 2: Effect of Changing Temperature on Equilibrium

Part 1
1. NH4
2. NH3+H2O

NH4+OH-.

Colorless, Colorless, Light Pink, Colorless

3. Towards the reactants
4. towards the products
5. Exothermic because the colour is lighter when heated up and darker when
cooled.
Part 2
6. Fe(NO3)3+KSCN

Fe(SCN)3

Pale Yellow, Colorless, Orange

7. towards the reactants
8. towards the products
9. Exothermic because the color becomes lighter with heat and darker when cooled.
10.
Temperature
Increase
Decrease

Endothermic

Exothermic

11.

Part 3: The Effect of Changing Pressure on Equilibrium

3. An increase in pressure will favour the side with less gas particles
4. A decrease in pressure will favour the side with more gas particles

Conclusion: This two part lab clearly illustrates Le Chateliers principles. That the
change in concentration, temperature and pressure causes a stress on the system
and a new equilibrium is restored.
It is shown in both tables 2 and 3 that there is an equilibrium shift towards the
products when the concentration of the reactants increases and the products
decrease. There is an equilibrium shift towards the reactants when the reactants
decrease and the products increase.
The equilibrium shifts towards the products when the temperature raises in an
endothermic system and when the temperature decreases in an exothermic one. It
also shifts towards the reactants when the temperature increases in an exothermic
system and when the temperature decreases in an endothermic system.
When the pressure increases there is an equilibrium shift towards the side with the
fewer amount of molecules and if it increases the equilibrium shift is towards the
side with the greater amount of molecules.