Effect of temperature on rate
The rate of a chemical reaction can be changed by altering the temperature. If the temperature is increased:
- the reactant particles move more quickly
- they have more energy
- the particles collide successfully more often
- the rate of reaction increases
- [higher tier only] this is due to more particles having energy greater than or equal to the The minimum energy needed by particles for them to react when they collide.
Compared to a reaction at a low temperature, the graph line for the same reaction but at a higher temperature:
- has a steeper In a graph, the gradient is the steepness of the line. The greater the gradient, the greater the rate of change. at the start
- becomes horizontal sooner
This shows that the rate of reaction was greater at the higher temperature.