Final answer:
The a) equilibrium constant is a measure of the extent to which reactants are converted into products when a chemical reaction reaches equilibrium. In terms of collision theory, the reaction rate is proportional to the number of effective collisions per second among reacting particles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The compromise between the mixing of reactants and products and conversion from reactants to products in a chemical reaction is described by the equilibrium constant (K). The equilibrium constant is a value that indicates the extent to which reactants are converted into products in a reversible chemical reaction at a given temperature. It reflects the relative concentrations of the reactants and products at the point of chemical equilibrium, where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.
According to collision theory, the rate of a chemical reaction is proportional to the number of effective collisions per second among reacting particles. To produce a chemical reaction, these collisions must occur with sufficient energy and with the correct orientation. The minimum energy required for a collision to be effective is the activation energy of the reaction.
An increase in temperature generally results in a faster rate of reaction because it increases both the energy and the collision frequency of the reacting particles. In terms of collision theory, the reaction rate depends on the number of collisions per second which leads to successful product formation.