Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: ayderay on June 23, 2020, 09:13:15 AM

Title: Ocean Acidification
Post by: ayderay on June 23, 2020, 09:13:15 AM

Hi, so i need some clarification on how Le Chatilier's Principle will affect the following equations

H₂CO₃  ::equil::  H⁺+HCO₃^-
HCO₃^- ::equil::  H⁺+CO₃^2-

According to my textbook, if concentration of H₂CO₃ increases, both H⁺ and HCO₃^- increases. However, concentration of H⁺ increases more than HCO₃^- (and so on for the second equation).

What would happen if H₂CO₃^- decreases in concentration? Would concentration of H⁺ decrease more that HCO₃^-? And what would then happen to the second equation?

Title: Re: Ocean Acidification
Post by: Borek on June 23, 2020, 09:26:16 AM

Le Chatelier's principle is rather poor way of dealing with complex equilibria. While you can try to predict some general behavior, exact answers require exact calculations.

Title: Re: Ocean Acidification
Post by: ayderay on June 23, 2020, 09:27:47 AM

Could you give a general conclusion of what would happen (since my syllabus does not require any calculations)