The Student Room Group

Why Do Exothermic Reactions Prefer Cold Temps

How come an exothermic reaction's equilibrium's shifted to the right by colder temps and vice versa for endothermic reactions.

And I already know that if it's a reversible reaction the reverse of the reaction will be endothermic if the forward reaction is exothermic, just trying to get my head round this.

I think it would make more sense if it was the same as pressure as in a higher temp pushes the equilibrium towards the end with fewer moles, because higher temps mean higher pressure?
Equilibria will oppose a change that you make to a system. You can look at it this way...

If you heat up a mixture it will try to cool itself down again - by favouring the endothermic reaction (takes in heat).

If you cool down a mixture it will try to warm itself up - by favouring the exothermic reaction (gives out heat).

Retsek

Does that help?

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