Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Carbon dioxide, , is heated from to . A reaction in the gas needs a molecule that moves faster than . Find the percentage of molecules that are faster than at each temperature. Then find the factor by which the fast fraction grows, and compare it with the factor by which the average speed grows. What does this say about the effect of temperature on a reaction?
, and , in the ratio . The fraction of molecules faster than is with . A higher temperature moves and widens the distribution, and the fast tail grows the most.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. , .
Step 1. At . , so . The fraction is , which is .
Step 2. At . , so . The fraction is , which is .
Step 3. The growth of the fast fraction. times, taking the more exact values.
Step 4. The growth of the average speed. times.
Step 5. The meaning. A rise of in temperature raises the average speed by only . But it raises the number of molecules that are fast enough to react by more than five times. This is why the rate of a reaction is so sensitive to the temperature.
Answer: and . The fast fraction grows times and the average speed times.
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