If a reaction system has come to equilibrium, the concentration of products can be increased by doing what?

1 Answer
Jun 24, 2017

By a miracle........

Explanation:

You have the equilibrium reaction.........

#A+BrightleftharpoonsC+D#

And #K_(eq)=([C][D])/([A][B])#; now #K_(eq)# may or may not be affected by temperature; and typically we specify standard conditions. But by definition, #"equilibrium"#, equality of forward and reverse rates, is A CONSTANT. We could add a catalyst so that the condition of equilibrium is achieved FASTER, but neither #K_(eq)# nor the equilibrium concentrations could be altered.

Of course, in the given equilibrium, we could drive the reaction to completion, by removing the products #C# and #D#, but here we manipulate an equilibrium, and do not change its value.