Answer:
Lowering the temperature.
Explanation:
- According to Le Châtelier's principle, when an equilibrium is disturbed by an outside influence, the system reacts by shifting in the direction that counteracts that disturbance and restores balance.
- Let's analyze the given options:
1) Reducing the concentration of SO₂,
A decrease in SO₂ concentration causes the reaction to move leftward to compensate for this drop.
2) Lowering the temperature,
Given ΔH = –98.8 kJ/mol, which implies the reaction releases heat and is exothermic.
Dropping the temperature means there's less heat, prompting the equilibrium to shift right to produce more heat and offset the change.
This is the correct option.
3) Increasing SO₃ concentration,
An increase in SO₃ shifts the reaction left to reduce the SO₃ levels.
4) Raising the volume,
Increasing volume lowers the pressure, causing the equilibrium to shift towards the side with more gas moles—that is, the left side.
- Therefore, decreasing the temperature is the correct choice.