Final answer:
Reaction rates are influenced by activation energy, frequency, and energy of collisions, molecule orientation during collision, but not directly by whether the reaction is endothermic or exothermic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factors that determine reaction rates include the activation energy of the reaction, the force of collisions between molecules, the number of collisions between molecules, and the orientation of collisions between molecules. When considering whether a reaction is endothermic or exothermic, it does not directly influence the rate of the reaction; rather, it categorizes reactions based on energy absorption or release.
Factors that do directly influence the rate include the frequency and energy of collisions, which relate to factors such as temperature, reactant concentration, and the presence of a catalyst.
According to collision theory, an increase in temperature can increase the rate of a reaction by increasing both collision frequency and the kinetic energy of colliding particles, thereby increasing the chances that collisions will exceed the activation energy.