What is the effect of Temperature on rate of reaction?
The effect of Temperature on rate of reaction increases the average kinetic. of particles and thus increasing the frequency of collision and consequently rates of reactions.
Temperature is a major factor that affects rates of reaction by affecting two different parameters which are frequency of collisions and average kinetic of particles.
I will talk about how temperature affects the rate of reaction but we need to remember that there are other factors that do affect rates of reaction.
Temperature in kinetic theory of particles is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles and as a result increase in temperature tends to increase the average kinetic energy while decrease in temperature decreases the average kinetic energy of particles.
How can Temperature affect the rate of reaction?
Let’s consider 3 examples on how temperature affects rates of reaction.
| Examples of Temperature on rates of reaction | Explanation |
| Reaction of Zinc with hydrochloric acid Zn + 2HCl ===ZnCl2 + H2 Case 1 Reaction occurs at 200C Case 2 Reaction occurs at 300C | The reaction in case 2 will occur faster because the temperature of the experiment is g=higher than the reaction in case 1 The reason is because the higher the temperature, the higher the average kinetic energy which increases the frequency of effective 2colli2sion and thus increases the rate of reaction. This is because the particles of Magnesium will react faster at higher temperature that at lower temperature. 1 |
| Reaction of magnesium with Oxygen Mg + O2 === MgO Case 1 Reaction occurs at 500C Case 2 Reaction occurs at 200C | The reaction in case 1 will occur faster because the temperature of the experiment is 6higher than the reaction in case 2 The reason is because the higher the temperature, the higher the average kinetic energy which increases the frequency of effective collision and thus increases the rate of reaction. This is because the particles of Magnesium will react faster at higher temperature that at lower temperature. |
| Reaction of magnesium with zinc chloride Mg + ZnCl2 === MgCl2 + Zn Case 1 Reaction occurs at 100C Case 2 Reaction occurs at 300C | The reaction in case 2 will occur faster because the temperature of the experiment is 6higher than the reaction in case 1 The reason is because the higher the temperature, the higher the average kinetic energy which increases the frequency of effective collision and thus increases the rate of reaction. This is because the particles of Magnesium will react faster with zinc chloride at higher temperature that at lower temperature |
So we can look at the reaction below and conclude that at higher temperature the energy content of particles increases (average kinetic energy of particles) thus increasing the frequency of collisions and consequently increasing the rates of reaction.
How does Temperature really affect rates of reactions?
According to kinetic theory of particles, particles gain heat energy, they begin to vibrate or vibrate faster hitting each other thus increasing the frequency of collisions and thus increasing the frequency of effective collisions thus increasing the rates of reaction.
Consequently, when you see Bunsen burner used in experiments mainly some organic reactions, it is because the Bunsen burner supplies heat energy to the particles which enables the particles to vibrate and collide more increasing the frequency and thus rate of reactions.
