Factors which affect the rate of reaction

This time, when we add our piece of solid zinc to our six molar hydrochloric acid solution, we would observe more hydrogen gas bubbles coming out of our flask. So we have increased the concentration of one of our reactants hydrochloric acid.

And we've observed an increase in the rate of the reaction. As the concentration of hydrochloric acid increases, there are more acid particles to collide with the piece of zinc. And therefore, as the concentration of hydrochloric acid goes up, the frequency of collisions increase and the rate of the reaction increases.

Let's use the same reaction to talk about another factor that affects the rate of reaction. And that factor is surface area. You've already reacted a piece of solid zinc with hydrochloric acid.

We could use three molar hydrochloric acid again. And we saw some bubbles come off of the piece of zinc indicating that hydrogen gas was produced. This time let's try breaking the piece of zinc into smaller pieces.

So instead of using one large piece of zinc, here we have a bunch of small pieces of zinc. And if we were to do the experiment again, with three molar hydrochloric acid, this time we would see more bubbles of hydrogen gas coming off of those small pieces of zinc. So we have increased the surface area of the solid and we observed an increase in the rate of the reaction.

When we had only one piece of zinc, the rate of the reaction was limited by the surface area of this one piece. Therefore by breaking it up into smaller pieces, we were able to the rate of the reaction. Temperature is another factor that can affect the rate of a reaction. So let's say on the left, we have a glow stick in a flask that contains some cold water. And the glow stick, let's say the glow stick is already glowing here.

So let's draw in this color here for our glow stick. The glow from a glow stick comes from a chemical reaction. These reactions are usually recorded by spectroscopic techniques such as UV absorbance, fluorescence or circular dichroism. The most commonly used detection method is fluorescence spectroscopy because of its high sensitivity. Stopped flow instruments can be equipped with up to four syringes, one for the sample and two or three syringes for double or sequential mixing of reagents.

This is another instrument designed specifically for the detection of rapid kinetics. Combined with the Bio-Logic stopped-flow quenched-flow equipment, it makes a very powerful kinetics analysis system, one with high sensitivity and very efficient data acquisition.

The Spectrometer can be configured to measure reactions by UV absorbance plus fluorescence or two different fluorescence wavelengths. ATA Scientific offers a range of products that can assist you with your scientific endeavours, large or small. For information and advice on which product will suit your specific needs, contact ATA Scientific today.

Speak with the ATA Scientific team today to get expert advice on the right instruments for your research. Looking for the perfect analytics instrument for YOUR next big discovery? Speak with the ATA Scientific team today to get expert advice on the right instruments for your research Request free consultation. Read More articles. Therefore, a greater proportion of molecules will have the minimum energy necessary for an effective collision Figure.

Effect of temperature on the kinetic energy distribution of molecules in a sample. Presence of a catalyst. A catalyst is a substance that accelerates a reaction by participating in it without being consumed.

Catalysts provide an alternate reaction pathway to obtain products. They are critical to many biochemical reactions. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Chapter Search for:. To gain an understanding of the four main factors that affect reaction rate.