If the concentration of products increases, what does the system do to restore equilibrium?

Prepare for the NCEA Level 3 Chemistry – Aqueous Chemistry (AS91393) Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Excel on your exam!

When the concentration of products in a chemical equilibrium increases, the system responds by favoring the reverse reaction, which consumes the products and produces reactants. This response is based on Le Chatelier's Principle, which states that if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change (such as an increase in the concentration of products), the system will shift in a direction that counteracts that change in order to restore a new equilibrium.

In this case, by shifting towards the reactants, the system reduces the concentration of products back towards its original state, thus working to re-establish equilibrium. This process helps to ensure that the rates of the forward and reverse reactions eventually match again, leading to a stable system.

The other options do not accurately describe the behavior of the system under these conditions. For instance, favoring the reaction that produces more products would only exacerbate the situation, and stating that it would shift toward reactants only or that there would be no effect contradicts the principles of equilibrium behavior in response to concentration changes.

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