can u pls identify which has the greater activation energy. A cube of Fe reacting with 20mL, 1.0mol/L HCl or powdered Fe, having a the same mass, reacting with 20mL,1.0 mol/L HCl
To determine which reaction has a greater activation energy between a cube of Fe reacting with 20 mL, 1.0 mol/L HCl and powdered Fe with the same mass reacting with 20 mL, 1.0 mol/L HCl, we need to consider the factors that affect the activation energy of a reaction.
Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. It determines how easily reactants can overcome the energy barrier and convert into products. There are a few factors that can affect the activation energy of a reaction, including the physical state of the reactants, the concentration of reactants, and the surface area.
In this case, the cube of Fe represents a solid reactant, while the powdered Fe represents a finely divided solid reactant. Finely divided solids generally have a larger surface area compared to solid objects with a larger volume, like cubes. The increased surface area of the powdered Fe allows for more reactant particles to be exposed to the HCl solution, leading to a higher chance of successful collisions and faster reaction rates.
Since activation energy is related to the likelihood of successful collisions between reactant particles, the reaction involving powdered Fe is likely to have a lower activation energy compared to the reaction involving a cube of Fe. This means that the reaction between powdered Fe and HCl will proceed more easily and quickly.
While it is not possible to determine the exact values of activation energy without experimental data, the factors discussed above can help us predict which reaction would likely have a greater activation energy in this scenario.