Kinetic energy

• Collision


  Chemical reactions occur when particles of substances collide
• Successful collision


  • Energy greater than or equal to the activation energy
  • Correct particle orientation
• Reaction conditions


  Factors that impact the collisions of the particles and can be altered to provide the particles with more energy
• Increasing reaction conditions


  Increases the likelihood of a collision occurring with sufficient energy to react, increasing the rate
• Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution


  Pattern of energy distribution among molecules in a substance
• Changing reaction conditions


  Alters the shape of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve
• The total area under the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve represents the total number of molecules and must remain constant
• Thermal energy


  Energy transferred to a substance when heated, converted to kinetic energy
• Increasing temperature


  Increases the rate of reaction due to more frequent and higher energy collisions
• Increasing temperature


  Shifts the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve to the right, increasing the proportion of molecules with energy greater than or equal to the activation energy
• Concentration and pressure


  Increasing these packs molecules closer together, making collisions more likely and increasing the rate of reaction
• Increasing concentration and pressure

  Shifts the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve to the right
• Catalyst


  Substance that increases the rate of reaction without being used up, by providing an alternative reaction path with lower activation energy
• Catalyst


  Shifts the position of the activation energy in the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve to the left, increasing the proportion of molecules with sufficient energy to react