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Science Coursework

I have been asked to prove that how temperature affects the rate of a reaction.

What is a reaction?

A chemical reaction can only occur when reacting particles collide with each other with sufficient energy. When the particles collide, this is known as the collision Theory. For the particles to collide they must possess enough energy which will enable them to make contact. This is known as activation energy.

The rate of reaction is worked out by using the formula:

                        1/Average time

How can you speed up the rate of reaction?

You can speed up the rate of reaction if you:

  • Increase the temperature

If you increase the temperature this will result in the particles gaining heat energy and moving around faster causing the particles to collide with each other, by doing this the product is formed quicker and the rate of the reaction is increased. This occurs because an increase in energy means an increase in collisions and so a sufficient activation level is reached to break the bonds of all reactants. Once the bonds are broken then new bonds are created and the product is formed.

  • Increase the surface area

If the solid reactants are in smaller pieces (Surface area) then it is easier for the particles to intermingle, and collide with each other causing sufficient energy to be created to break bonds and to form new products.

        Small Surface area.

                                  It is hard for the particles to gain

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        Energy because they are all bunched together and there is no room for the particles to gain energy, move and collide, this slows down the rate of reaction.        

Large Surface area

It is a lot easier for the particles in this diagram to gain energy, move and cause more collisions because they are all spaced out (Large surface area). The particles will gain the activation energy needed to cause the product to be formed quicker, and so the rate of reaction will increase.

  • If the Concentration of the reactants increases

If the concentration of the reactants decreases the ...

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