Unit 1 Section 5: Kinetics Flashcards
1
Q
what is collision theory?
A
a reaction between two particles won’t take place unless the particles collide in the right orientation and collide with at least a certain minimum amount of kinetic energy
2
Q
define the term activation energy.
A
the minimum amount of kinetic energy particles need to react
3
Q
why do most collisions not lead to a reaction?
A
the particles do not have a high enough activation energy
4
Q
label A, B and C and what they mean
A
A : most probable speed - largest number of particles are traveling at this speed
B : average speed - slightly higher than most probably speed because the distribution is not symmetrical
C : activation energy (Ea) - minimum energy needed for reaction, particles past this point have at least the activation energy
