How do temperature changes affect chemical equilibrium?

When temperature changes occur in a chemical reaction at equilibrium, Le Chatelier's Principle can be applied to predict the direction in which the equilibrium will shift. This principle states that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the system responds to counteract the change.

In terms of temperature, an increase in temperature provides additional energy to the system. For a reaction that can absorb heat, known as an endothermic reaction, this means that the reaction will favor the formation of products as it uses the added heat to proceed in the forward direction. Essentially, the equilibrium will shift to the right, towards the endothermic direction, in order to absorb the excess heat introduced by the temperature increase.

Conversely, if the temperature decreases, the equilibrium would shift towards the exothermic direction, where heat is released, to counteract the loss of heat. This results in the system favoring the formation of reactants.

Thus, the statement that an increase in temperature favors the endothermic direction of a reaction is aligned with the principles of chemical equilibrium and temperature effects, reinforcing the correct understanding of how temperature influences the position of equilibrium.