Question

When an equilibrium responds to a disturbance by shifting to the right or left, the value of (read the Tro reference carefully for this question)

a. changes only if the reaction temperature is changed
b. changes because the concentrations of reactants and products change
c. always changes
d. always remains constant

Answer 1

The value of the equilibrium constant (Keq) only changes when the reaction temperature is altered; otherwise, it stays constant even as equilibrium shifts in response to other disturbances.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an equilibrium responds to a disturbance by shifting to the right or left, the value of the equilibrium constant (Keq) changes only if the reaction temperature is changed. This is because the value of the equilibrium constant is dependent on temperature. For changes in concentration and pressure, the system adjusts the concentrations of reactants and products to re-establish equilibrium, but the equilibrium constant remains unchanged. For example, the Haber-Bosch process shows a decrease in Keq value with an increase in temperature due to the shift in equilibrium toward the reactants.