Iron oxide ores are reduced to iron metal by exothermic reaction with carbon monoxide:
FeO(s) + CO(g) ⇌ Fe(s) + CO₂(g)
Which of the following changes in condition will cause the equilibrium to shift to the right?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Le Chatelier's principle, an increase in the concentration of CO will shift the equilibrium to the right in order to consume the excess CO. Therefore, adding CO will cause the equilibrium to shift to the right. Adding FeO or CO₂ will increase the concentrations of the reactants and will shift the equilibrium to the left to consume the excess, while raising the temperature will favor the endothermic direction, shifting the equilibrium to the left. Therefore, only adding CO is the best choice to shift the equilibrium to the right.

Iron Oxide Ores Are Reduced to Iron Metal by Exothermic