Why does the rate of most reactions increase when the temperature of the reaction mixture is increased? In what units is the rate of a reaction expressed?
Solution
On raising the temperature, the kinetic energies of the molecules increase; the fraction of molecules possessing energy equal to or greater than the activation energy rises steeply (the Boltzmann distribution shifts), and the collision frequency also increases a little — so the number of effective collisions, and hence the rate, increases markedly (roughly doubling per 10° rise).
Units of rate: mol L s (for gaseous reactions, also atm s).
Units of rate: mol L s (for gaseous reactions, also atm s).
CBSE Class 12 Board · 2002 · Delhi Compartment · Subjective