According to Le Chatelier's Principle, what happens when stress is applied to a system at equilibrium?

When stress is applied to a system at equilibrium, the principle of Le Chatelier predicts that the system will respond by shifting in a direction that alleviates the applied stress. This response can occur due to changes in concentration, temperature, or pressure.

For instance, if the concentration of reactants is increased, the system will shift towards producing more products to counteract this change. Similarly, if the pressure is increased in a gaseous equilibrium, the system will shift towards the side with fewer moles of gas to reduce pressure. The central idea is that the system strives to maintain equilibrium by adjusting its position in response to external changes or stresses.

This dynamic behavior illustrates the system's inherent properties to adapt and reach a new state of balance, reaffirming the fundamental concepts of chemical equilibrium.