Why a warmer reaction runs faster. The Arrhenius equation and activation energy, collision theory and the energy barrier, and the way a catalyst opens a quicker path.
3 lessons, about 1 h 45 min3 simulations11 problems6 practice questionsPython in every lesson
Created by StemPy LabA bowl of dough rises faster in a warm kitchen, and a pressure cooker softens lentils quickly because its water is hotter than . A small rise in temperature can make a reaction several times faster. The Arrhenius equation, , explains why and lets you work out how much faster, from the activation energy.
For two molecules to react they must meet, meet with enough energy, and meet the right way round. Most collisions fail one of these tests. Collision theory counts the collisions and the ones that succeed. The energy profile of a reaction shows the barrier that the molecules must climb, and how high it is in each direction.
A catalyst makes a reaction faster without being used up. It does this by giving the reaction a new path with a lower barrier. It speeds up the forward and the reverse reaction by the same factor, and it leaves the energy change and the equilibrium unchanged. In a mechanism, the catalyst is used in one step and given back in a later one.
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