Which of the following is TRUE of Le Chatelier's Principle for an exothermic reaction?
Answer Details
Le Chatelier's Principle states that if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in temperature, pressure, or concentration of reactants or products, then the equilibrium shifts in the direction that tends to undo the effect of the change. For an exothermic reaction, increasing the temperature will cause a shift in the equilibrium towards the reactants, in order to reduce the effect of the added heat. This means that the equilibrium constant will decrease since it is a ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium. Therefore, the correct answer is "Increase in temperature will cause a decrease in the equilibrium constant."
The addition of a catalyst will not affect the position of the equilibrium, but it will increase the rate at which the reaction reaches equilibrium. Therefore, the statement "Addition of a catalyst will cause an increase in the equilibrium constant" is false.