Question

If this reaction is exothermic, what may be expected as the temperature is reduced?

[Products] will decrease. [Products] will increase. [Reactants] will increase. Reduction in temperature has no effect.

Answer 1

Products will increase.

Step-by-step explanation:

An exothermic reaction in chemistry is that reaction which releases heat as a product to its surroundings. Le Chatelier’s principle describes the effect of a stressed equilibrium i.e. a reaction will shift to counter the effect of the stress. Temperature is one of the four variables that affects or cause a change in the equilibrium of a system.

Since an exothermic reaction gives off heat as a form of energy, a decrease in heat will favour the formation of products or shift the reaction right because decreasing the temperature, which is a source of heat energy, for an exothermic reaction is like decreasing a product. Hence the system will act to favour the increase of products.