Le Châtelier's Principle
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Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio
Le Châtelier's Principle
Investigate how a chemical equilibrium responds when the concentrations of the species involved in the reaction change and when the temperature changes.
- Ultraconcurrent labs
- University & College
- High School
Laboratory information
Prepare a solution of cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate, predict each equilibrium shift and compare the reversible colour changes observed in real laboratory recordings.
What the student does
- Prepares a reference solution of cobalt(II) chloride hexahydrate and reviews the key aspects of the experimental procedure.
- Analyses the effect of adding hydrochloric acid to increase chloride concentration or water to change the equilibrium.
- Investigates the effect of temperature through heating and cooling.
- Predicts the direction of each equilibrium shift before observing the real experiment.
- Uses the observed colour changes to interpret the equilibrium shift and justify conclusions.
The activity includes guided predictions, immediate formative feedback and a final review of the main conclusions about the effects of concentration and temperature on chemical equilibria.
What students do
Operate real equipment and reason from the measurements.
- Recommended level
- University & College, High School
- Typical access model
- Ultraconcurrent labs
- Works on
- Modern web browsers on school, university, and home computers.
- Teaching use
- Suitable for assignments, demonstrations, LMS-linked activities, and remote practical work.
Available experiments