Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution

Question 1

Describe the area under the Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution curve

Answer 1

The area under the Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution curve is equal to the total number of molecules

Question 2

Why does the curve start at 0,0 on the Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution curve?

Answer 2

No molecules have zero energy

Question 3

What does the peak show on the Maxwell - Botzmann curve?

Answer 3

The amount of energy that most molecules have

Question 4

What does the area at the beginning of the Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution curve show?

Answer 4

• some molecules are moving slowly
• most molecules are moving at moderate speed - their energies are somewhat in the middle

Question 5

On the Maxwell - Botzmann Distribution curve, where is the mean average energy of all molecules found?

Answer 5

• the mean average energy of all the molecules is found a bit to the right of the peak

Question 6

In the Maxwell - Botzmann curve, what does the area past activation energy show?

Answer 6

• the molecules have more activation energy
• molecules with activation energy - only these react

Question 7

Describe what happens to the Maxwell - Botzmann curve when we increase the temperature

Answer 7

• curve shifts to the right if temperature increases
• peak is lower
• area under the curve is the same
• area under the curve that is beyond the activation energy increases

Question 8

What is the effect of increasing the temperature on the rate?

Answer 8

• there are more molecules with a greater energy or equal to the activation energy
• higher frequency of successful collisions
• at higher temperature, more molecules have at least the activation energy

Question 9

Describe what happens to the Maxwell - Botzmann curve when we decrease the temperature

Answer 9

• curve shifts to the left
• peak is higher
• area under the curve is the same