When solid potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) is dissolved in water the resulting solution is orange.

The dichromate ion in aqueous solution is in equilibrium with the chromate ion. This is a dynamic equilibrium and as such is sensitive to the acidity or basicity of the solution. Shifting the equilibrium with pH changes is a classic example of Le Chateliers principle at work. Le Chatelier's principle states that if a chemical dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions (concentration, temperature, volume or pressure), the position of equilibrium moves to counteract the imposed change. So if more reactant is added, the equilibrium shifts to the right in order to consume that extra reactant, which results in more product; also if the product is removed from the system, the equilibrium shifts to the right completely increasing the yield. Yellow chromate and orange dichromate are in equilibrium with each other in aqueous solution. The more acidic the solution, the more the equilibrium is shifted to the left towards the dichromate ion. As hydrochloric acid is added to the chromate solution, the yellow color turns to orange. Increasing the hydrogen ion concentration is shifting the equilibrium to the left in accordance with Le Chatelier's principle, and concentration of Cr2O72- increasesand color change takes place. CrO42- + 2H+ H2O + Cr2O72-

When sodium hydroxide is added to the dichromate solution, the orange color turns back to yellow, hydroxide ions react with hydrogen ions forming water, driving the equilibrium to the right (OHremoves H+ ions by neutralizing them and the system acts to counteract the change) and further shifting the color from orange to yellow. Cr2O72-+ 2OH- H2O + CrO42-