Question

Why does the rate of a reaction usually increase on increasing the concentration of reactants?

Explain why the rate of reaction usually increases on increasing the concentration of reactants?

Answer 1

The rate of a reaction usually increases with an increase in the concentration of reactants because:

1. Higher concentration means more reactant particles per unit volume.
2. This leads to an increased frequency of collisions between reactant molecules.
3. As a result, the number of effective collisions (collisions with proper orientation and sufficient energy) also increases.
4. More effective collisions per unit time lead to a faster reaction rate.

Hence, Increased concentration → more collisions → more effective collisions → higher reaction rate