Which row in the table correctly explains why an increase in temperature increases the rate of a reaction?
Answer:
When the temperature of a reaction is increased, the particles gain kinetic energy so they move faster
and increase the frequency of collisions. The proportion of successful collisions will also increase
because the proportion of particles with energy greater than the activation energy has increased. This
is why a small increase in temperature results in a large increase in the rate of a reaction.
The activation energy is the minimum energy required by colliding particles to result in a successful
collision and, therefore, a chemical change. Activation energy is a measure of the energy required to
break chemical bonds and is not affected by temperature.
To summarise: an increase in temperature will have no effect on the activation energy but it will
increase the frequency of collisions as well as the proportion of successful collisions.
The answer is H