What would likely happen to an equilibrium system if the temperature is increased?

When the temperature of an equilibrium system is increased, the reaction will adjust to counteract that change, following Le Chatelier's principle. This principle states that if an external change is applied to a system at equilibrium, the system will respond in such a way as to minimize that change.

In the context of a chemical reaction, if the reaction is exothermic (releases heat), increasing the temperature adds heat to the system. To counteract this increase, the equilibrium will shift toward the side that absorbs heat, which is typically the endothermic direction (the direction of the reactants if the product side releases heat). This means that more reactants will form as the system attempts to consume the added heat.

Therefore, the correct answer identifies that the equilibrium will shift to the side that absorbs heat, aiming to reduce the effect of the temperature increase and restore a new state of equilibrium. This understanding is crucial because it helps predict how changing conditions influence the outcomes of chemical reactions, which is a key concept in thermodynamics and chemical kinetics.