Chemistry

Factors effecting Rate of Reactions

Rate of reaction
The rate of reaction describes how fast or slowly reactants become products in a
chemical reaction. The reaction rate of a reaction that takes a long time is low. A high
reaction rate refers to a reaction that occurs quickly. A rate specifies how rapidly or
slowly a change occurs, as well as how quickly or slowly a chemical reaction can be
sped up or slowed down.

Collision theory
What is Collision theory?
Surface area, catalysts, temperature, and concentration are the four primary factors
which influence the rate of chemical reactions. Only when the particles that make up the
reactants come together can reactions occur. The particles cannot just collide; they
must collide with enough energy to cause a reaction. This is collision theory.

Activation energy
Activation energy is the smallest amount of energy particles must have before they
react is called the activation energy.

Four Factors
1. Temperature

Increasing the temperature cause the particles of reactants to move more quickly so
that they collide with each other more frequently and with more energy. Therefore the
higher the temperature the higher the rate of reaction. Whereas if you decrease the
temperature, the particles move more slowly, colliding less frequently and with less
energy. Therefore the rate of reaction decreases.

2. Concentration

(refers to how much solute is dissolved in a solution)

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 There is a larger chance of collisions between reactant atoms and molecules when
there is a higher concentration among them. A higher reaction rate is associated with
more collisions. As a result, increasing the reactant concentration usually leads in a high
reaction rate. At lower concentrations, though, there is less of a chance of particle
collisions. This means that as the concentrations of reactants decrease, the reaction
rate decreases.

3. Surface area

(is the measure of how much area of an object is exposed)

The more surface contact between between reactants, the higher the rate of reaction.
The less surface contact, the lower the reaction rate. For exmaple, steel wool has a
larger surface area than a block of steel of the same mass. This allows oxygen
molecules to collide with many iron atoms per unit of time.

4. Catalyst

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical process without being
consumed by it. During a chemical reaction, catalysts lower the amount of energy
required to break and make bonds. A reaction can proceed when catalysts are utilised,
however less enregy is added during the reaction. Enzymes, for example, are catalysts
that allow chemical processes to take place within the body at relatively low
temperatures.

Worksheet questions
1. How does temperature affect the rate of chemical reactions?

Increased temperature causes particles to move faster, allowing them to collide

more frequently and with greater energy. As a result, the faster the reaction, the
higher the temperature. When the temperature is lowered, the particles move more
slowly, colliding less frequently and with less energy. As a result, the rate of reaction
slows down.

2. Use the terms in the vocabulary box to fill in the blanks. You may use each
term only once.

(a) A freshly exposed surface of metallic sodium tarnishes almost instantly if

exposed to air and moisture, while iron will slowly turn to rust under the same

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 conditions. In these two situations, the rate of reaction refers to how quickly or
slowly reactants turn into products.
(b) Adding temperature will increase the rate of reaction because this causes the
particles of the reactants to move more quickly, resulting in more collisions and more
heat.
(c) Removing heat will lower the energy causing the particles of the reactants to
slow down, resulting in less frequent collisions.

(d) Concentration refers to how much solute is dissolved in a solution. If there is a

greater concentration of reactant particles present, there is a greater chance that
collisions among them will occur. More collisions mean a higher rate of reaction.

(e) A concentrated acid solution will react more quickly than a dilute acid solution
because there are more molecules present, increasing the chance of collisions.
(f) Grains of sugar have a greater surface area than a solid cube of sugar of the
same mass, and therefore will dissolve quicker in water.

(g) A catalyst, for example an enzyme, is used to speed up a chemical reaction but
is not used up in the reaction itself.
(h) A catalyst convertor in a car has metallic catalysts where several reactions
occur. Carbon monoxide, which was produced in the combustion of gasoline, is
changed into carbon dioxide and water in the presence of these metallic catalysts.

3. Indicate whether each of the following would increase or decrease the rate
of reaction

(a) increasing

(b) decreasing
(c) increasing

(d) decreasing
(e) decreasing

(f) decreasing
(g) increasing

(h) increasing
(i) increasing

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 (j) increasing

4. Identify which situation would have a higher reaction rate. Then state the
factor that affected the rate of reaction in each situation

(a) situation y because it has more surface area

(b) situation x because it has a higher temperature

(c) situation y because it has higher rate of collusions

(d) situation x because enzymes act by reducing the activation energy

(e) ask teacher

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