According to Le Chatelier's principle, what occurs if a change is made to a reaction at equilibrium?

Le Chatelier's principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium will shift to oppose the change. This means that if a reactant's concentration is increased, the system will respond by favoring the forward reaction to consume the added reactant, thus reducing its concentration. Conversely, if product concentration is decreased, the equilibrium will shift to the right to produce more products. This principle is essential for understanding how systems respond to changes in concentration, pressure, or temperature.

The correct option highlights this self-regulating behavior of equilibria, demonstrating the system's tendency to mitigate modifications and restore balance. This concept is fundamental in chemical reactions and helps predict how changing conditions will impact the concentrations of reactants and products in a system at equilibrium.