In Le Chatelier's Principle, what effect does removing a reactant have on the system?

Removing a reactant from a system at equilibrium causes a shift in the reaction's equilibrium position. According to Le Chatelier's Principle, when a system at equilibrium experiences a change (such as the removal of a reactant), the equilibrium will shift in a direction that counteracts that change. In this case, when a reactant is removed, the system reacts by shifting to the left, towards the reactants, in order to increase the concentration of that reactant and restore equilibrium. This compensatory change helps to re-establish a balance within the system.

In contrast, if a reactant were to be added, the equilibrium would shift to the right, favoring the formation of products. Therefore, the correct interpretation of the process when a reactant is removed is that the system shifts to the left to form more reactants, thus moving towards restoring the equilibrium state.