Chemistry·Chemical reactions · NSSCO 6.4
Rate of reaction & collision theory
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Some reactions flash in an instant, others crawl over years. Using collision theory, learn the five things that speed a reaction up — concentration, pressure, surface area, temperature and catalysts — plus the danger of dust explosions and how a catalyst really works.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO Chemistry 6.4):
- Explain the meaning of the term rate of reaction
- Define a catalyst as a substance that increases the rate of a reaction but is chemically unchanged at the end
- State that a catalyst works by lowering the activation energy
- Define an inhibitor as a substance that reduces the rate of a reaction
- Describe, using collision theory, the effects of concentration, pressure, surface area, catalysts, temperature and light on rate
- State that biological catalysts are enzymes
- Describe the danger of explosive combustion with fine powders (flour mills, coal mines)
- Describe experiments to investigate rate, and interpret rate data
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Miss Rachel and Mike talk through the whole topic — with the figure and working drawn live.
Hands-on lab
Rate of reaction — interactive 3D lab