In an chemical equilibrium, when the pressure is decreased - does that mean the system favours the side with the most number of molecules?
by 
Sleepless Caffeinist
ANSWERS: 1
-
That depends on the state of the molecules. If the molecules are in the solid or liquid states, then they are not really factors in the equilibrium. They would not appear in the equilibrium constant expression. Le Chatelier's Principle tells you that when you cause a stress (such as changing the pressure) to a system at equilibrium, the equilibrium will shift to relieve (i.e. "undo") the stress. So, if the stress was to decrease the pressure, then the equilibrium will shift to increase the pressure. This means that the equilibrium will shift toward the side of the equation that has more MOLES OF GAS. This is not a complete explanation, but it should work for what you're doing.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC