If the concentration of a reactant is decreased, will the speed of the reaction increase or decrease? Explain.
I understand that if the concentration of a reactant is INCREASED, the frequency of coliision increases, making the rate of reaction increase. How aboout when the concentration is decreased?
You are correct that increasing the concn increases the rate and for the very reasons you site. Then wouldn't you expect decreasing the concn would have just the opposite effect?
That is my guess, that decreasing the concnetration of a reactant will decrease the rate of the reaction because there is a decrease in the frequency of collisions. Am I right?
Yes, doesn't that make sense to you?
It does, thank you for the help! :)
When the concentration of a reactant is decreased, the speed of the reaction will generally decrease as well. This is because the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactants. In other words, if the concentration of a reactant is lowered, there will be fewer reactant particles available to undergo collisions and react with each other.
According to the collision theory, for a reaction to occur, reactant particles must collide with sufficient energy and proper orientation. By decreasing the concentration of a reactant, you are reducing the number of particles available to collide, leading to a decrease in the frequency of collisions.
With fewer collisions occurring, the reaction rate decreases. This happens because there are fewer opportunities for reactant particles to come into contact, break their existing bonds, and form new ones. As a result, the overall reaction proceeds at a slower pace.
It's important to note that the effect of changing the concentration of a reactant on the reaction rate may vary depending on the specific reaction and its rate equation. Some reactions may be more sensitive to changes in reactant concentration than others. However, in most cases, decreasing the concentration of a reactant will lower the speed of the reaction.