Question

If the activation energy required for a chemical reaction were reduced, what would happen to the rate of the reaction?

The rate would increase.
The rate would decrease.
The rate would remain the same.
The rate would be zero
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Answer 1

The rate would increase

Step-by-step explanation:

Here's an analogy:

Think of 20 men trying to climb a steep hill in order to find their partners at the top of the hill. However, they need so much energy to get up that hill that they end up taking forever to get up there.

However, some mysterious night, a witch cut the hill in half so she wouldn't have to see them suffer anymore.

The next morning, those 20 men still struggled to get up that hill but it was less effort than they previously needed; everyone got up there and met their partners.

The reactants of a chemical reaction is just like the men. They need enough energy and other criteria in order for the reaction go undergo; but when activation energy (the hill's steepness) is high, it's going to take the reactants a long time to eventually get over that hill.

When activation energy is reduced, that hill gets smaller, meaning the reactants won't need as much energy to do what it needs to do to react, which essentially makes the rate (how fast the reaction occurs) faster.