Factors Affecting the Rate of Reaction

• Temperature - increasing the temperature, increases the rate of chemical reaction; the higher the temperature, the higher the kinetic energy of particles, and the more they collide.
• The surface area of reactants - the smaller the size of the particle, the greater the surface area; increasing the surface area speeds up the reaction rate by increasing the collision rate.
• Catalyst - a substance that increases the rate of reaction. It provides an energy pathway needed to start a reaction, therefore increasing the reaction rate.
• An inhibitor is a substance that slows down or inhibits reaction rate.
• Concentration of reactants - increasing the concentration of reactants, increases the rate of reaction; the more particles present, the more often they collide.