Question

Write a hypothesis about the effect of temperature and surface area on the rate of chemical reactions using this format: “If . . . then . . . because. . . .” Be sure to answer the lesson question, “How do the factors of temperature and surface area affect the rate of chemical reactions?”

Answer 1

If the temperature of a chemical reaction is increased and the surface area of the reactants is increased, then the rate of the chemical reaction will increase because higher temperatures provide reactant molecules with more energy, leading to more frequent and effective collisions, while a greater surface area allows more reactant particles to be exposed and available for reaction, thereby facilitating more interactions over the same period.