Final answer:
Increasing the temperature of a reaction system generally increases the reaction rate by causing reactant particles to collide more frequently and with greater energy, which increases the likelihood of overcoming the activation energy barrier.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the temperature of a reaction system increases, the reaction rate typically increases as well. This is because an increase in temperature leads reactant particles to move more quickly, causing them to collide more frequently and with greater energy. These more frequent and energetic collisions can better surmount the activation energy barrier, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful reaction that results in the formation of products.
According to LibreTexts™, a 10 °C increase in temperature generally doubles the rate of a chemical reaction. This is due to a greater fractional increase of molecules possessing enough energy to overcome the activation energy required for the reaction to occur. Therefore, raising the temperature not only increases the frequency of collisions but also the fraction of those collisions that result in successful reactions, thereby increasing the reaction rate.