Why does a higher concentration increase the rate of reaction?
a
It increases the frequency of collisions.
b
It lowers the activation energy.
c
It decreases the amount of reactants.
d
It increases the surface area of the particles
a. It increases the frequency of collisions.
The correct answer to the question is a) It increases the frequency of collisions.
A higher concentration of reactants in a chemical reaction increases the probability of successful collisions between particles. This is because an increase in concentration means that there are more reactant particles per unit volume. As a result, there are more chances for the reactant particles to come into contact with each other, leading to an increased rate of reaction.
To understand why a higher concentration increases the frequency of collisions, we can consider the collision theory in chemistry. According to the collision theory, for a reaction to occur, reactant particles must collide with each other with sufficient energy and in the correct orientation. Increasing the concentration of reactants increases the number of particles, which in turn increases the chance of successful collisions.
It is worth noting that while increasing the concentration increases the frequency of collisions, it does not affect the activation energy or the amount of reactants. The activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to occur, and it remains unchanged with concentration. Similarly, increasing the concentration does not decrease the amount of reactants but rather increases the number of reactant particles available for the reaction.
Therefore, the correct answer is a) It increases the frequency of collisions.
The correct answer is: a) It increases the frequency of collisions.
When the concentration of reactants is increased, there are more particles present in a given volume. This increases the likelihood of collisions between reactant molecules. Since collisions are necessary for a reaction to occur, an increase in concentration leads to a higher frequency of collisions. This, in turn, increases the rate of reaction.