How does an increase in temperature affect the equilibrium position of an exothermic reaction?

In an exothermic reaction, heat is released as a product. When the temperature of the system is increased, it effectively adds more heat to the reaction. According to Le Chatelier's principle, if a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in temperature, pressure, or concentration, the system will adjust to counteract that change and restore a new equilibrium.

In the case of an exothermic reaction, increasing the temperature disturbs the equilibrium by providing additional heat. The system will respond by favoring the endothermic process, which absorbs heat. Therefore, this shift towards the left increases the formation of the reactants while decreasing the concentration of the products.

Consequently, the correct answer is that an increase in temperature shifts the equilibrium position of an exothermic reaction to the left, leading to a reduction in products and an increase in reactants.