The Effect of Changes in Temperature, Concentration and Surface Area on Rate of Reaction
The Effect of Changes in Temperature, Concentration and Surface Area on Rate of Reaction
Effect of Changes in Temperature on Rate of Reaction
- Temperature plays a key role in the rate of reaction as it’s linked with the kinetic energy of particles.
- When the temperature increases, the particle energy increases causing the particles to move quicker, increasing the chance of collisions and making them more energetic.
- This results in an increased rate of reaction as it provides enough energy to reach the activation energy or the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.
Effect of Changes in Concentration on Rate of Reaction
- The concentration of a reactant also impacts the rate of reaction.
- Increasing the concentration means there are more reactant particles per unit volume, which increases the probability of collisions between reacting particles
- Consequently, the rate of reaction increases due to a more frequent occurrence of successful collisions.
Effect of Changes in Surface Area on Rate of Reaction
- Surface area essentially influences the exposure of reactant particles to one another.
- A smaller particle size or greater surface area allows for more collisions as more particles are exposed to each other.
- Therefore, a greater surface area (or smaller particle size) results in an increased rate of reaction due to more successful collisions.
Remember, these factors; Temperature, Concentration, and Surface area, and how they influence the rate of reaction are crucial to your understanding of the ‘Rate of Chemical Change’.