The Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

• Label the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution curve.

  Label the missing gaps with the correct annotations:

  A) Most probable energy

  B) Average energy

  C) Activation energy

  D) Number of molecules

  E) Energy

  
• State and explain the key features of the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution curve.

  • Curve originates at the origin -> indicates that no molecules have zero kinetic energy
  • Rises sharply to a peak -> represents the most common kinetic energy level among the molecules
  • The total area under the curve is equivalent to the total number of molecules
  • The peak of the curve shows the most probable kinetic energy a molecule can have
• Explain how increasing temperature increases the rate of a reaction.

  • As temperature increases, particles have more kinetic energy
  • Particles also more likely to have the activation energy
  • Leads to higher frequency of successful collisions
• What is the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution?

  The distribution of molecular energies in gases
• Describe the effect of increasing temperature on the Maxwell Boltzmann distribution curve.

  • When temp is increased, the peak of the distribution curve is lower and shifted to the right
  • the total area under the curve remains the same

  A) Higher temp

  B) Lower temp

  
• Which part of the curve is equal to the total number of gas molecules?

  The area under the curve
• Explain why a small increase in temp results in a large increase in the rate of reaction.

  • small increase in temp shifts distribution curve to the right
  • This indicates that both the rate of collisions and the proportion of collisions that lead to successful reactions increase with temp