Question

Use Le Chatelier’s principle to predict how the equilibrium concentration of the FeCl2+ ion will change when an aqueous solution of silver (I) nitrate, AgNO₃, is added to the exothermic reaction below.

Fe₃+(aq) + Cl-(aq) → FeCl₂+(aq)

Answer 1

When AgNO3 is added to the reaction Fe3+(aq) + Cl-(aq) → FeCl2+(aq), the equilibrium will shift to the left, decreasing the equilibrium concentration of FeCl2+ ions due to the formation of a precipitate, AgCl(s), which removes Cl- ions from the solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

We can use Le Chatelier’s principle to predict how the equilibrium concentration of the FeCl2+ ion will change when AgNO3 (silver (I) nitrate) is added to the reaction Fe3+(aq) + Cl-(aq) → FeCl2+(aq). Adding AgNO3 introduces Ag+ ions, which will react with Cl- ions to form AgCl(s), a precipitate, effectively decreasing the concentration of Cl- ions that are available to react with Fe3+ ions.

According to Le Chatelier's principle, the equilibrium will shift to the left, in the direction that consumes FeCl2+ ions to produce more Fe3+ and Cl- ions to offset the loss of Cl- ions.

The result is that the equilibrium concentration of FeCl2+ ions will decrease as the system tries to stabilize after the disturbance caused by the addition of silver (I) nitrate.