A chemist is trying to get two substances to react, but he is unsuccessful. He knows that the two substances should react with one another. Which of the following could he do to possibly get the substances to react? (Select all that apply)
a
cool the substances
b
decrease the concentration of one of the substances
c
heat the substances
d
increase the concentration of one of the substances
e
crush up one of the substances
a. cool the substances
c. heat the substances
d. increase the concentration of one of the substances
e. crush up one of the substances
To potentially get the substances to react, the chemist can try the following options:
a) Cool the substances: Lowering the temperature can slow down the reaction rate, but in some cases, it can also promote certain reactions by providing a favorable environment.
c) Heat the substances: Increasing the temperature can increase the rate of reaction. It provides added energy to the particles, which can increase their chances of colliding and reacting.
d) Increase the concentration of one of the substances: Higher concentration means more reactant particles are available, increasing the likelihood of collisions and reactions.
e) Crush up one of the substances: Breaking up the substance into smaller pieces can increase its surface area, allowing for a higher contact area with the other substance. This increased surface area can enable more frequent collisions and potentially increase the chances of a reaction.
Therefore, the chemist could try options a, c, d, and e to possibly get the substances to react.
To possibly get the substances to react, the chemist could do the following:
a) Cool the substances: lowering the temperature can sometimes activate reaction pathways or increase the probability of molecular collisions.
c) Heat the substances: increasing the temperature can provide the necessary energy to overcome the activation energy barrier for the reaction to occur.
d) Increase the concentration of one of the substances: increasing the concentration of a reactant can increase the chances of successful collisions between particles, thereby increasing the reaction rate.
e) Crush up one of the substances: increasing the surface area of a solid reactant can enhance the chances of collisions with other reactant particles, promoting the reaction.
Therefore, the substances might possibly react by cooling them, heating them, increasing the concentration of one of the substances, or crushing up one of the substances.