Question

The reaction conditions for a specific reaction, , are correct, but the reaction does not occur. What could be the reason?

a. There are no collisions between the molecules.

b. The collisions of the particles with the container walls remove the required energy because it is transferred to the container molecules.

c. The orientation of the molecules with respect to each other is not correct for the reaction to occur.

d. There is more than one answer.

Answer 1

The reaction may not occur even with correct conditions due to insufficient kinetic energy to exceed activation energy or incorrect molecular orientation during collisions.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the reaction conditions for a specific reaction are correct, but the reaction does not occur, there may be several reasons for this. Firstly, the reactants may not be moving with enough kinetic energy to exceed the activation energy for the reaction. This is the minimum energy threshold that must be overcome for a reaction to proceed. Additionally, the orientation of the molecules during collision is crucial; if they do not hit each other at the correct angle, the reaction may not occur. Also, external factors such as the collisions of the particles with the walls of the container can dissipate some of the energy required for the reaction.

Therefore, it's essential to ensure that reactant particles collide with both enough energy and the correct orientation to form an activated complex or transition state, which can then proceed to product formation. In summary, there is indeed more than one answer to why the reaction may not occur under apparently correct conditions.