Which of the following would increase the rate of a chemical reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and solid zinc metal (Zn)?

Question

Question 1 options:

A)

Performing the reaction at a lower temperature

B)

Decreasing the amount of Zn

C)

Pulverizing the zinc metal into a fine powder

D)

Decreasing the concentration of HCl

Answer 1

To increase the rate of a chemical reaction, we typically look for factors that enhance collisions between reactants. Let's analyze each option:

A) Performing the reaction at a lower temperature - Lowering the temperature generally decreases the kinetic energy of the molecules, leading to fewer effective collisions and a slower reaction rate. This would not increase the reaction rate.

B) Decreasing the amount of Zn - Reducing the amount of zinc available would decrease the number of reactant particles that can collide with HCl, which would likely decrease the reaction rate rather than increase it.

C) Pulverizing the zinc metal into a fine powder - By increasing the surface area of the zinc, powdered zinc will have more exposure to hydrochloric acid, allowing for more collisions and therefore increasing the reaction rate. This is a valid choice for increasing the rate of reaction.

D) Decreasing the concentration of HCl - A lower concentration of HCl means there are fewer HCl molecules available to collide with the zinc, which would lead to a decrease in the reaction rate.

Based on this analysis, the correct answer is:

C) Pulverizing the zinc metal into a fine powder