Adding heat to an exothermic equilibrium shifts it:

To determine the shift in equilibrium, we apply **Le Chatelier's Principle**, which states that a system at equilibrium will shift to counteract any change (stress) applied to it. 1. **Characterize the Reaction**: An exothermic reaction is one where heat is released. In the context of equilibrium, we can treat heat as a **product**: $$\text{Reactants} \rightleftharpoons \text{Products} + \text{Heat}$$ 2. **Identify the Stress**: Adding heat is equivalent to increasing the temperature. This increases the concentration of the 'product' (heat) in the system. 3. **Determine the Shift**: To counteract the addition of heat, the system must consume it. This means the equilibrium will shift in the direction that absorbs heat (the endothermic direction). Since heat is on the product side, the reaction shifts toward the reactants (to the left). Conclusion: The equilibrium shifts in the **reverse** direction.