Medical Dictionary

Le Chatelier's principle

noun Le Cha·te·lier's principle \ lə-ˌshät-əl-ˈyāz- \

medical Definition of Le Chatelier's principle

: a statement in physics and chemistry: if the equilibrium of a system is disturbed by a change in one or more of the determining factors (as temperature, pressure, or concentration) the system tends to adjust itself to a new equilibrium by counteracting as far as possible the effect of the change — called also Le Chatelier's law

Biographical Note for le chatelier's principle

Le Chatelier \lə-shȧt-əl-yā\, Henry–Louis (1850–1936), French chemist. A professor of chemistry, Le Chatelier was a noted authority on metallurgy, cements, glasses, fuels, and explosives. He first formulated what is now known as Le Chatelier's principle in 1884. His principle made possible the predicting of the effect a change of conditions will have on chemical reaction, and it proved to be invaluable to the chemical industry for the development of the most efficient chemical processes.