Collision Theory Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

According to collision theory, when does a reaction occur between two particles?

When the particles collide with sufficient energy — at least the activation energy.

Explain, in terms of particles, why increasing the temperature increases the rate of reaction.

Particles have more energy so move faster, giving more frequent collisions, and a higher proportion of collisions have at least the activation energy.

Explain, in terms of particles, why increasing the concentration of a solution increases the rate of reaction.

There are more particles in the same volume, so there are more frequent collisions.

Why does using a powdered solid instead of large lumps increase the rate of reaction?

Powder has a larger surface area to volume ratio, so more particles are available to react and collisions are more frequent.

How does increasing the pressure of a reaction involving gases affect the rate, and why?

The rate increases — the gas particles are closer together in the same volume, so collisions are more frequent.