Question

Explain graphically how the rate of a reaction changes with every 10°C rise in temperature.

Answer 1

For every 10°C rise in temperature, the rate of a chemical reaction approximately doubles.

This rule of thumb arises from the Arrhenius equation:

k = `Ae^(−E_a​//(RT))`

Where:

k = rate constant

A = frequency factor

E_a = activation energy

R = gas constant

T = temperature (in Kelvin)

As temperature increases, `e^(−E_a​//(RT))` increases significantly, leading to a higher value of k, and thus a faster reaction rate.