Question

Why do finely divided solid reactants react faster as compared to massive reactants?

Explain why a finely divided solid reactant reacts faster as compared to a massive reactant?

Answer 1

Finely divided solid reactants react faster than massive (bulk) reactants because:

• Finely divided solids have a much larger surface area exposed to reactant particles.
• A larger surface area allows more frequent collisions between reactant molecules and the solid surface.
• This leads to a higher number of effective collisions per unit time, increasing the reaction rate.

Hence, greater surface area → more collisions → faster reaction.