How does temperature affect the rate of reaction?

For a reaction to occur particles reacting must have a neccessary activation energy (kinetic energy). As temperature gets higher, so does the kinetic energy of particles, which can be ilustrated with a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution diagram. This means that more particles can overcome this energy and succesfully react as chances of a properly oriented collision are higher. It is sometimes said that the reaction rate doubles with a 10 degree raise in temperature.
For Higher Level Students the Arrhenius equation and graphs can be analysed to further explain the topic.

Related Chemistry IB answers

All answers ▸

What is a difference between a nucleophile and a base in organic chemistry?


Explain the bonding in benzene, and hence its greater stability


Sodium and sodium iodide can both conduct electricity when molten, but only sodium can conduct electricity when solid. Explain this difference in conductivity in terms of the structures of sodium and sodium iodide.


Use the following information: [[[[2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(l) ∆H = −572 kJ mol−1]]]] [[[[2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(g) ∆H = −484 kJ mol−1]]]] to calculate the enthalpy change for the process: H2O(g) → H2O(l)