Rates of reaction

• Activation energy

  
  

  Minimum required energy needed for a reaction to occur
• Temperature

  
  

  Particles move faster - collide more in the same time - more frequent successful collisions
• Increasing surface area

  
  

  More particles are exposed on the surface - more collisions can take place in the same time - more frequent, successful collisions
• Increasing concentration / pressure

  
  

  More reactant particles in the same volume - more collisions in the same time - more frequent successful collisions
• Catalysts

  
  

  Speeds up a reaction by lowering the activation energy - a different route

  Small amount can have a large effect - chemically unchanged after the reaction