Question

In general, as temperature goes up, reaction rate ________?

1) increases
2) decreases
3) remains constant
4) cannot be determined

Answer 1

As the temperature goes up, the reaction rate generally increases, with more molecules having the energy to overcome the activation energy. For equilibrium reactions, the impact on the equilibrium constant depends on whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic.

So option (1) is correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

In general, as the temperature goes up, the reaction rate increases. This is because, at higher temperatures, more molecules have energy greater than the activation energy required for the reaction to occur. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question would be option 1) increases.

For the specific reaction 2SO2(g) + O2(g) = 2SO3(g), increasing the temperature will generally increase the reaction rate. However, the impact on the equilibrium constant depends on whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic. As the temperature increases, for an exothermic reaction, the equilibrium constant typically decreases as the system shifts to favor the reactants, according to Le Chatelier's principle. Conversely, an increase in temperature would increase the equilibrium constant for an endothermic reaction. In both cases, temperature is a critical factor in determining both the rate and the position of equilibrium.