A decrease in the number of moles of gas as the reaction goes from reactants to products in a gas-phase equilibrium results in ________

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Le Chatelier's principle, a decrease in the number of moles of gas will shift the equilibrium toward the side with more gas molecules in order to minimize the effect of the change. Therefore, in this case, the equilibrium will shift toward the reactants side to compensate for the decrease in the number of gas molecules. This means that the concentration of reactants will increase and the concentration of products will decrease, resulting in a net reverse reaction. As a result, the value of Kp (equilibrium constant in terms of partial pressures) will decrease. Therefore, option B is correct as it states that Kp will become less than the initial equilibrium constant.

A Decrease in the Number of Moles of Gas as the Reaction