what is the effect of temperature on the rate constant of a reaction
What is the effect of temperature on the rate constant of a reaction?
Answer: Temperature has a significant impact on the rate constant of a reaction. According to the Arrhenius equation, the rate constant (k) of a reaction generally increases with an increase in temperature. This relationship between rate constant and temperature can be mathematically expressed as
k = A \cdot e^{(-\frac{E_a}{RT})}
where:
- k is the rate constant,
- A is the pre-exponential factor,
- Eₐ is the activation energy,
- R is the ideal gas constant, and
- T is the temperature in Kelvin.
As temperature rises, molecules or atoms have higher kinetic energy, which leads to more frequent and energetic collisions between reactant molecules. This, in turn, increases the reaction rate. The exponential nature of the Arrhenius equation illustrates that even a small change in temperature can result in a substantial change in the rate constant. Therefore, it can be concluded that an increase in temperature accelerates reactions by increasing the rate constant.