Temperature and the Rate of Reaction
Temperature and the Rate of Reaction
Temperature is a major factor that controls how quickly a chemical reaction happens.
When temperature increases, particles gain more kinetic energy.
With more energy, particles move faster and collide more frequently.
These collisions are also more energetic, so more of them overcome activation energy.
As a result, the reaction speeds up noticeably when temperature rises.
When temperature is lowered, particles move slowly, collisions decrease, and reaction rate drops.
What It Is
It refers to how changing the temperature affects the speed at which reactants are converted into products.
Higher temperature increases the proportion of reacting particles that have enough energy to react successfully.
Ideas from collision theory and the Arrhenius equation help explain why the rate increases with temperature.
The change in rate can be small for reactions with low activation energy and large for reactions with high activation energy.
Key Points
Higher temperature means faster-moving particles and more frequent collisions.
More collisions have sufficient energy to form products.
Reaction rate usually increases rapidly with a rise in temperature.
Very low temperatures slow reactions because not enough particles can reach activation energy.
Enzymes in biological systems work best in a narrow temperature range.
Industrial processes must control temperature to maintain safety, efficiency, and product quality.
Definition
Effect of temperature on reaction rate:
The way reaction speed changes when temperature is altered, usually increasing as temperature rises because more particles achieve enough kinetic energy to overcome activation energy and react successfully.
Brainstorming
How does the Maxwell–Boltzmann energy distribution shift when temperature changes?
Why do some reactions show big temperature sensitivity while others barely change?
How does temperature influence multi-step reactions with intermediate species?
In living organisms, what mechanisms help maintain stable reaction rates despite temperature fluctuations?
How do industries determine the ideal temperature to balance speed, safety, and cost?