14.2.4

Rate of Reaction - Key Factors

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Rate of Reaction - Key Factors

The main factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions are:

Concentration of dissolved reactants

Concentration of dissolved reactants

  • Increasing the concentration increases the collision frequency. This increases the rate of reaction.
Pressure of gas reactants

Pressure of gas reactants

  • Increasing pressure is like increasing the concentration.
  • It has the same outcome of increasing the collision frequency, which increases the rate of reaction.
Temperature

Temperature

  • Increasing the temperature increases the rate at which collisions happen.
  • Increasing the temperature increases the energy of reactant particles. This means that a greater proportion of the particles will have more energy than the activation energy that is needed.
  • Together, these lead to more successful collisions. This increases the rate of reaction.
Surface area of solid reactants

Surface area of solid reactants

  • Increasing the surface area increases the collision frequency. This increases the rate of reaction.
  • This is often done by breaking up solids into smaller lumps (e.g. powders).
  • This increase in surface area to volume ratio makes sure that more particles are exposed to attack.
Catalysts

Catalysts

  • Substances that increase a chemical reaction's rate without reducing in quantity during the reaction are called catalysts.
Jump to other topics
1

States of Matter

2

Elements, Compounds & Mixtures

3

Atomic Structure

4

The Periodic Table

5

Chemical Formulae, Equations & Calculations

6

Bonding

7

Electrolysis

8

Groups of the Periodic Table

9

The Atmosphere

10

Reactivity Series

11

Metal Extraction

12

Acids & Alkalis

13

Chemical Tests

14

Physical Chemistry

15

Organic Chemistry

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