Equilibrium shifts

Equilibrium shifts occur when a system’s balance changes due to external factors, causing reactions to favor either the formation or breakdown of substances. Think of it like a tug-of-war: if conditions such as temperature, pressure, or concentration change, the balance tip adjusts to restore stability. For example, increasing the amount of one reactant pushes the reaction toward producing more products, while removing products encourages more reactants. These shifts help systems maintain equilibrium, where forward and backward reactions happen at the same rate but overall concentrations may vary.