Chemistry Regents Practice Test

What is the result of increasing temperature in a chemical reaction?

1. Decreases reaction rate

2. No effect on reaction rate

3. Increases reaction rate

4. Changes product composition

The correct answer is: Increases reaction rate

Increasing the temperature of a chemical reaction typically increases the reaction rate. This is because higher temperatures provide reactant molecules with more kinetic energy, which leads to more frequent and more energetic collisions between them. According to collision theory, for a reaction to occur, the reactant molecules must collide with sufficient energy and proper orientation. At elevated temperatures, the number of molecules that have the required activation energy to react increases significantly, thus speeding up the reaction. This effect is often quantified by the Arrhenius equation, which shows that temperature is a critical factor in determining the rate of a chemical reaction.