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Does every collision between reacting particles lead to products? what other factor is involved?

2 Answers

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Final answer:

Not every collision between reacting particles leads to products; the collision must have sufficient kinetic energy and the correct orientation to form new bonds and create products.

Step-by-step explanation:

No, not every collision between reacting particles leads to products. Two main factors influence whether a collision will result in a chemical reaction. First, the reaction must occur with sufficient kinetic energy, which needs to be at or above a certain threshold known as the activation energy (Ea). Second, the collision must have the correct orientation to enable the rearrangement of atoms and the formation of new chemical bonds.

When reactant particles collide without adequate energy or with improper orientation, they experience what is known as an ineffective collision. Only when both conditions - sufficient energy and correct orientation - are met can a collision be termed an effective collision, leading to the formation of an activated complex or transition state, and eventually the reaction products. At the microscopic level, these but momentary and often undetectable transition states are crucial for the occurrence of a chemical reaction.

User Karan Alangat
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If I am reading this question correctly, then the answer is "no, every collision between reacting particles lead to a product". You have to address the energy component of the particles. If there isn't enough energy to allow the reaction to occur, then the particles will elastically bounce off one another and no reaction will occur. If there is enough energy, then the reaction will occur.
User Aminhotob
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