born Oct. 8, 1850, Paris, France
died Sept. 17, 1936, Miribel-les-Échelles
French chemist.
A professor at the Collège de France and the Sorbonne, he is best known for the principle of Le Châtelier, which makes it possible to predict the effect that a change in conditions ( temperature , pressure , or concentration of components) will have on a chemical reaction . The principle, invaluable in the chemical industry in developing the most efficient and profitable chemical processes, may be stated thus: A system at equilibrium , when subjected to a perturbation, responds in a way that tends to minimize its effect. Le Châtelier was also an authority on metallurgy, cements, glasses, fuels, explosives, and heat.