Question

According to Le Chatelier's Principle what will happen to this equilibrium: C2H4O (g) ---> CH4 (g) + CO (g) if we add CH4?

Answer 1

Le Chatelier's principle states that if a change in volume, pressure, temperature, or concentration takes place for a chemical system at equilibrium, the system will react in such a manner that will counteract the change made and establish a new equilibrium.

The chemical equilibrium for the decomposition of etylene oxide into methane and carbon monoxide is

`C_2H_4O_((g)) rightleftharpoons CH_(4(g)) + CO_((g))`

If you were to add more `CH_4`, the equilibrium would have to shift in such a manner as to offset this increase in concentration. The only way this can happen is if more `C_2H_4O` is produced, which is equivalent to more `CH_4` being consumed.

The equilibrium will shift towards the reactant in order to counteract the increase in the concentration of one of the products.

LIkewise, an increase in the concentration of `C_2H_4O` would shift the equilibrium towards the products, since the only way to offset the additional `C_2H_4O` would be to produce more `CH_4` and `CO`.

Here are some links to other possible scenarios addressed for this particular reaction by other contributors:

http://socratic.org/questions/according-to-le-chatelier-s-principle-what-will-happen-to-this-equilibrium-c2h4o-1

http://socratic.org/questions/according-to-le-chatelier-s-principle-what-will-happen-to-this-equilibrium-c2h4o-2