Experiment 3

Title: Le Chatelier’s Principle

Aim:
To investigate a reversible chemical reaction and to show that Le Chatelier’s
principle can be used to explain changes in the position of equilibrium.

Introduction:
Because of chemical characteristics of the reactions, most chemical reactions do
not produce a 100 % yield of product. The reactants initially produce the expected
products, but after a period of time the concentrations of the reactants and
products stop changing. This apparent cessation of the reaction before a 100 %
yield is obtained, implies that the chemical system has reached a state where the
reactions combine to form the products at a rate equal to that of the products re-
forming the reactants. This condition is called a state of “dynamic equilibrium”
and is characteristic of all reversible reactions.
In chemistry, Le Chatelier's principle, also called the Le Chatelier-Braun
principle, can be used to predict the effect of a change in conditions on a
chemical equilibrium. It can be summarised as:
If a chemical system at equilibrium experiences a change in
concentration, temperature, volume, or total pressure, then the
equilibrium shifts to partially counter-act the imposed change.
In this experiment you will study some reactions where reversibility is obvious.
That is, reactants can form products, and products can form reactants. You can
readily observe a change in the relative amounts of reactants and products by
noting colour changes or the formation of a precipitate. For example, in an
aqueous solution the chromate ion CrO 24− changes into the dichromate ion Cr2O72−
, and conversely, the Cr2O72− ion can be converted to the CrO24− ion.
The extent of these reactions depends on the concentration of the hydrogen ion in
the solution. You can change the H concentration by adding a solution of sodium
hydroxide, which is a source of hydroxide ion. The OH - ion reacts with H+ ion to
form H2O.

Pre – lab Questions:

1. Study the following reaction at equilibrium and see the kind of reasoning
needed to apply Le Chatelier’s principle successfully.

H2 (g) + I2 (g) ⇌ 2HI

Suppose we add some more H2 (keeping the volume constant) which causes a
stress.

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 a) What is this stress?
 Change in pressure
b) How can this stress be relieved?

c) How can the reaction achieve this?

d) How is the equilibrium affected?
 The position of the equilibrium will shift to counteract that change
e) How does this affect the value of the equilibrium constant?
 The value of the equilibrium constant remain unchanged
2) State the main factor that affects the value of equilibrium constants for
reactions at equilibrium.

3) Explain why the equilibrium shifts only but not the equilibrium constant value
if, say, for instance, the concentration of C is changed in the following
reaction at equilibrium.
A + 2B ⇌ C + D
 This is because the equilibrium constant value is the value that
remains unchanged though the concentration changes.

Glass ware and chemical requirements (perstudent)

• 0.1 moldm–3 potassium chromate, K2CrO4

• 0.10 moldm–3 potassium dichromate, K2Cr2O7
• 1.0 moldm–3 (dilute) sodium hydroxide, NaOH
• 1.0 moldm–3, HCl
• 0.1 moldm–3 barium nitrate, Ba(NO3)2
• 0.5 moldm–3 copper chloride, (CuCl2)
• Dilute ammonia solution
• Solid copper sulphate
• 1.0 moldm–3 H2SO4 solution
• 10 test tubes in a test tube rack
• Graduated measuring cylinders

Procedure
Part A: The chromate ion–dichromate ion equilibrium

1. In separate test tubes take:

3 –3
• 5 cm of 0.1 mol dm potassium chromate K2CrO4; and

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 3 –3
• 5 cm of 0.1 mol dm potassium dichromate K2Cr2O7.

These solutions act as CrO24− and Cr2O72− ion sources. Record the colour of each
solution in the results sheet provided.

3
2. Place 10 drops (about 0.5 cm ) of each solution into separate 13 × 100 mm
–3
test tubes. Add some dilute sodium hydroxide, 1 mol dm NaOH, a drop at a
time, alternately to each solution until you can see a colour change in one
tube. Record the colours at this stage. Keep these tubes for step 5.
3. Repeat step 2 procedures with fresh K2Cr2O4 and K2Cr2O7 solutions in a pair
–3
of clean test tubes using 1 mol dm HCl instead of NaOH, drop by drop,
alternately to each test tube. Record the colour change that you now observe.
Keep these test tubes for the next step.

4. Add 1 mol dm–3 NaOH, drop by drop, to one of the solutions that you
obtained in step 3 until you notice a change.

5. Add 1 mol dm–3 HCl, drop by drop, to one of the tubes that you produced in
step 2 until you notice a change.

Part B: The equilibrium of solid barium chromate BaCrO4(s) with a

saturated solution of its ions

BaCrO4 (s) ⇌ Ba2+ (aq) + CrO 24−

3 –3
6. Put 10 drops (about 0.5 cm ) of 0.1 mol dm K2Cr2O4 in a clean test tube.
–3 –3
Add two drops of 1 mol dm NaOH. Add 0.1 mol dm Ba2(NO3)2 barium
nitrate, a drop at a time, until you see a colour change. Record the result. Keep
this test tube for step 8.

7. Put 10 drops of 0.1 mol dm–3 K2Cr2O7 in a clean test tube. Add two drops of
–3 –3
1 mol dm HCl and 10 drops of 0.1 mol dm Ba(NO3)2. Record the result.
Keep this test tube for step 9.

From your observations in steps 6 and 7, record your conclusions about the
relative solubilities of BaCrO4(s) and BaCr2O7(s).

–3
8. Add 1 mol dm HCl to the test tube from step 6. Add it drop by drop, until
you see a change. Record your observation.

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9. Add 1 mol dm–3 NaOH to the test tube from step 7. Add it drop by drop, until
you see a change. Record your observation.

10. We wish now to reverse the changes and reactions that you observed in steps
8 and 9. Try to record your procedure as well as observations. For step 8, add
NaOH and for step 9, add HCl.

–3
11. Put 10 drops of 0.1 mol dm K2Cr2O7 in one test tube, and put the same
amount of 0.1 mol dm–3 K2CrO4 in another test tube. Add a few drops of 0.1
mol dm–3 Ba(NO3)2 to each test tube. Record your observation, including the
relative amounts of product that is formed.

Part C: The copper (II) ion − tetrammine copper (II) ion equilibrium

We can represent the copper (II) ion − tetrammine copper (II) equilibrium with
this equation:

Cu2++ 4NH3 ⇌ [Cu(NH3)4] 2+

3
12. Add one drop of 0.5 M CuCl2 solution to approximately 5 cm dilute ammonia
solution to form the complex ion.

What happens when we increase the concentration of copper (II) ion? Do this by
adding solid copper (II) sulfate in a series of small amounts. Each time you
add a small amount of the solid copper (II) sulfate, shake the solution until it
is dissolved. Record your observations.

13. Prepare a fresh solution of the complex ion by adding five drops of 0.5 M
3
CuCl2 solution to approximately 5 cm of dilute ammonia solution. Decrease
the ammonia concentration by adding 1 M H2SO4 solution, drop by drop, to
the solution of the complex. Observe and record what happens.

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 Practical Exercise 3: Results Sheet

Part A: Observations

In the table given below, note observations in terms of change in colour of

solution.

Chromate Solution (CrO24− ) Dichromate Solution (Cr2O72−)

(yellow solution) (orange solution)
Step 2 (Add NaOH)

Step 3 (Add HCl)

Step 4 (Step 3 + NaOH)

Step 5 (Step 2 + HCl)

Part B: Observations

Step 6

K2CrO4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) + Ba(NO3)2 (aq) → Ba(OH)2 + Na2CrO4 + KNO3

Step 8

Step 6 product + HCl (aq) → BaCl2 + Na2CrO4 + 2KNO3 + 2H2O

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 Step 7

K 2Cr2O7 (aq) + HCl (aq) + Ba(NO3)2 (aq) → BaCr2O7 + HNO3 + KCl

Step 9

Step 7 product + NaOH (aq) →  BaCrO4 + Na2CrO4 + H2O

Step 10

Reversing the reaction:

( a) Step 8 product + →

(b) Step 9 product + →

Step 11 Record colour and relative amount of product

K2Cr2O7 (aq) + Ba(NO3)2 (aq) →  BaCr2O7 + 2 KNO3

K2CrO4 (aq) + Ba(NO3)2 (aq) →  BaCrO4 + KNO3 

Step 12

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a) Dilute ammonia solution + CuCl 2 (aq) → NH3Cl + Cu

b) Product of Step 12 (a) + CuSO4 (aq) + 4NH3(aq) --> [Cu(NH3)4]SO4(aq)

Step 13

Dilute ammonia solution + CuCl2 (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) →

** Attach solutions to post lab activity on a separate page.

Post Lab Activity:

Part A

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We can use this unbalanced equation to represent the chromate–dichromate
equilibrium in a solution:

CrO 24− + H+ ⇌ Cr2O72− + H2O

1. Balance the above equation.

2. Write the equilibrium constant expression in terms of the concentrations of the

solutions involved in the balanced equation.

3. Explain the colour changes that you observed in terms of:

(a) the equilibrium constant; and
(b) Le Chatelier’s principle

Part B

1. Explain the changes that you observed in steps 8, 9 and 10 (the reverse of
steps 8 and 9).

2. What do you conclude about the relative equilibrium concentration of CrO 24−
and Cr2O 72− in each of the 0.1 M solutions of K2CrO4 (step 11)?

Part C

1. Write an expression for the equilibrium constant for the copper (II)
tetrammine formation in terms of concentrations of products and reactants.

2+
2. Explain the observations on the effects of changing the Cu and NH3
concentrations in terms of:
(a) the equilibrium constant expression; and
(b) Le Chatelier’s principle

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