reaction rates and equilibrium 10.3- Boltzmann distribution Flashcards
(4 cards)
what is meant by elastic collisions?
The molecules don’t slow down as a result of a collision and no energy is lost.
What are the features of the Boltzmann distribution?
-no molecules have zero energy- curve starts at the origin.
-the area under the curve= total number of molecules
-There is no maximum energy for a molecule- the curve does not meet the x-axis at high energy.
How does temperature effect the Boltzmann distribution curve.
More molecules have an energy greater than or equal to Ea.
Therefore a greater proportion of collisions will lead to a reaction, increasing Rate of reaction.
Collisions will also be more frequent as the molecules are moving faster, (but the increased energy of the molecules is much more important than the increased frequency of collisions).
How do catalysts effect the Boltzmann distribution curve?
A catalyst provides an alternative reaction route with lower activation energy (labelled Ec).
Compared to Ea, a greater proportion of molecules now have an energy equal to or greater than Ec.
On collision, more molecules will react to form products.
The result is increased rate of reaction.
