Get premium membership and access revision papers with marking schemes, video lessons and live classes.

Processing. Please wait.

Le Chatelier’ s Principle and Industrial applications of chemical equilibrium.

Answer Text:
Le Chatelier’ s Principle
- States that: When stress is applied to a system in equilibrium, the system reacts so as to oppose the stress.
- This implies that when a change in condition is applied to a system in equilibrium, the system moves so as to oppose the change.
Note:
- The effect of different factors on equilibrium was first investigated in 1888 by a French Chemist; Henri Louis Le Chatelier.
- All explanations so far described are based on Le Chatelier’ s principle. Industrial applications of chemical equilibrium.
- The ability to change the position of an equilibrium by varying the conditions has been important in industrial processes as industrialists aim at obtaining maximum products at minimum cost and shortest
time possible.
- Conditions required to obtain greatest yield of products at minimum costs and shortest time possible are called optimum conditions.
- Such optimum conditions are obtained by continuous removal of products hence reduction in its concentration or varying external factors like
temperature and pressure.
Summary: Optimum conditions for common industrial processes.