Changing volume

[Melody Haratian 2J]

For the quick way shown in lecture #3, why does the reaction shift right when the volume decreases and there are more moles of gas on the left?

[lauren_tran_1L]

The "quickway" is just showing that you determine the way it shifts when the pressure changes the volume by looking at the number of moles. For example, if you double the pressure (halve the volume) it would go to the side with fewer moles.

[Isabelle Hales 1J]

As the volume decreases, there are more moles of gas on the left (or the reactants side) because the concentration is increasing. The reaction shifts right, or in the forward direction, because the more moles of reactant will allow for more product to form. In other words, the reaction of forming product from reactant will take place more frequently than the reverse reaction. Hope this helps!

[Kristina Krivenko 3I]

You can generalize the "Quick Way" shown in the lecture to any reaction as the following:
- when volume is increased, the side with more moles of gas will be favored
- when volume is decreased, the side with less moles of gas will be favored

This way, reactions adjust to minimize the effect of changes.

[Anna Lockhart 2B]

You can think of it as a sort of balance that the reaction is trying to achieve. If there are more moles on the left the reaction wants to get the same amount on both sides, so it will create more products in order to compensate.

[RitaThomas_3G]

Because the volume decreases, but there is more moles on the left, the reaction would shift to the right to create a balance within the overall reaction. To adjust for the change, the reaction therefore simply shifts.

[Matlynn Giles 2E]

The reaction will shift as a way to react/adjust to changes!