According to Le Chatelier's Principle, what would occur if a reactant is added to an equilibrium system?

Prepare for the UCF CHM2045C Chemistry Exam 3. Test your knowledge with multiple choice questions, each one providing hints and explanations. Get ready to ace your exam!

When a reactant is added to an equilibrium system, the principle known as Le Chatelier's Principle states that the system will adjust to counteract the change and restore a new equilibrium. In this scenario, adding a reactant increases its concentration, which disturbs the equilibrium. To minimize this disturbance, the system shifts towards the right, meaning that it will favor the formation of products until a new equilibrium is established. This shift effectively consumes some of the added reactant, working to rebalance the concentrations of reactants and products in the system.

The other options do not accurately reflect the behavior of the system in response to this change. A shift left would indicate a favoring of reactants instead of products, which is contrary to the intended effect of adding more reactant. Notably, while some reactions may be exothermic or endothermic, this principle isn't specific to favoring one over the other based on heat; it is about concentrations and equilibrium shifts. Thus, the response is aligned with the fundamental concepts of chemical equilibria.

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