Question

Why does a small particle size generally cause a reaction to proceed faster?

a. the only reason is that there are more collisions per second.
b. the collisions occur with greater energy.
c. there are more collisions per second and the collisions are of greater energy.
d. none of these

Answer 1

A smaller particle size generally causes a reaction to proceed faster because there are more collisions per second and the collisions are of greater energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to collision theory, the rate of a chemical reaction depends on the frequency of successful collisions between reactant particles. When the particle size is smaller, there is more surface area available for collisions to occur, leading to an increase in the frequency of collisions. Therefore, a smaller particle size generally causes a reaction to proceed faster.

For example, if you try to start a fire in a fireplace, breaking a log into smaller sticks, called kindling, increases the surface area and allows for more reactions to occur, providing sufficient activation energy for further reactions.

So, the correct answer is c. there are more collisions per second and the collisions are of greater energy.

Answer 2

i think its a. i am not sure though.