Lesson Plan

Lesson: Le Chatelier’s Principle (II)

Aim :

To study Le Chatelier’s principle.

Learning Outcomes :

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

1. describe and explain the effect of a change in temperature and pressure on an

equilibrium system using Le Chatelier’s principle.
2. predict the effect of temperature on the equilibrium constant of a reaction based on
its enthalpy change.
3. describe the effect of the presence of a catalyst on a chemical equilibrium.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already be familiar with :

1. the concept of dynamic chemical equilibrium.

2. the equilibrium constants, Kc and Kp.

3. Le Chatelier’s principle.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their
responses. Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and
application of the new concepts learned.

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Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction. • Teacher to get students to recall Le

(Ascertaining prior Chatelier’s principle.
knowledge and
introducing lesson
topic for the day). • Teacher to point out lesson objectives for
the day.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 - 3 • Courseware

with the students.

• Activity 1 : Changes in pressure

Students get to investigate how a change

in pressure will result in a shift in the
equilibrium position for certain reactions.

• Activity 2 : Changes in temperature

Students get to investigate how a change
in temperature will affect a shift in the
equilibrium position for both exothermic
and endothermic reactions.

• Activity 3 : Effect of a catalyst

Students get to study the effect of a

catalyst on an equilibrium system.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to go through the extension • Websites

activities on their own. • Reference
books.

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Worksheet answers

1. Changes in pressure

1.1 a. The position of equilibrium shifts to the right.

b. The position of equilibrium shifts to the right.

c. No change in the position of equilibrium.

1.2 When the plunger is pushed in, pressure is applied slowly to the gas mixture. The
equilibrium position is shifted to the left where a reduction in number of moles occurs.
More N2O4 are formed. The brown colour becomes lighter and lighter.

2. Changes in temperature

2.1 a. The position of equilibrium shifts to the right.

b. The position of equilibrium shifts to the right.

c. The position of equilibrium shifts to the left.

d. The position of equilibrium shifts to the right.

e. No change in the position of equilibrium.

3. Effect of a catalyst

3.1 a. A catalyst increases the rate of the reaction by providing an alternative reaction
path which has a lower activation energy barrier (or Ea) than that for the
uncatalysed reaction.

b. In the presence of a catalyst, the activation energies of both forward and

backward reactions are lowered by the same amount. Hence k1 and k–1 will
increase by the same magnitude. Since Kc is given by k1/k–1, it will remain
unchanged.

© 2003 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 4

4. Effect of pressure, temperature and catalyst

4.1 a. Highest yield produced by high pressures and low temperature.

b. i. According to Le Chatelier’s principle, increasing pressure moves the

equilibrium to the right where there is a reduction in the number of moles of
gases.

ii. According to Le Chatelier’s principle, decreasing the temperature will move

the equilibrium position to the right. The forward reaction which is exothermic
is favoured.

c. Using very high pressures is expensive as high costs are involved in

compressing the gases and in purchasing equipment that can withstand high
pressures. Lowering the temperature gives a higher yield of ammonia but the rate
of reaction is reduced.

4.2 a. endothermic

b. Z(g)

c. Z(g)

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