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Le Chatelier's Principle definitions

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  • Chemical Equilibrium
    A state where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, resulting in constant concentrations of reactants and products.
  • Disturbance
    Any change in conditions such as concentration, pressure, volume, or temperature that disrupts a reaction at equilibrium.
  • Reactant
    A substance present at the start of a chemical reaction, which can be increased or decreased to affect equilibrium.
  • Product
    A substance formed as a result of a chemical reaction, whose amount can influence the direction of equilibrium shift.
  • Pressure
    A force exerted by gas particles in a reaction vessel, influencing equilibrium by favoring the side with fewer or more gas moles.
  • Volume
    The space available for a reaction, inversely related to pressure, affecting the direction of equilibrium shifts in gaseous systems.
  • Inert Gas
    A chemically nonreactive gas, such as a noble gas, whose addition can alter equilibrium only under constant pressure.
  • Noble Gas
    A group of inert elements, like neon, that do not participate in chemical reactions but can affect equilibrium under certain conditions.
  • Catalyst
    A substance that lowers activation energy, increasing reaction rates without altering the position of equilibrium.
  • Enthalpy
    A thermodynamic quantity, represented as delta H, indicating whether a reaction absorbs or releases heat.
  • Equilibrium Constant
    A temperature-dependent value, symbolized as K, expressing the ratio of product to reactant concentrations at equilibrium.
  • Exothermic Process
    A reaction where heat is released, resulting in a negative enthalpy change and heat being considered a product.
  • Endothermic Process
    A reaction where heat is absorbed, resulting in a positive enthalpy change and heat being considered a reactant.
  • Partial Pressure
    The individual pressure exerted by a specific gas in a mixture, relevant when considering inert gas effects on equilibrium.
  • Mole
    A unit representing the amount of a substance, used to compare quantities of gases on each side of a chemical equation.