What is the effect of raising the temperature on the rate of a reaction?

Raising the temperature generally increases the rate of a chemical reaction, often dramatically. This phenomenon can be explained by looking at the kinetic theory of molecules. As the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the reactant molecules also increases. This means the molecules move faster and collide more frequently with greater energy.

When molecules collide with sufficient energy, they can overcome the activation energy barrier needed for the reaction to occur. The greater number of high-energy collisions increases the likelihood of reactants converting to products, which results in a faster reaction rate. Additionally, this heightened activity can sometimes result in a chain reaction or the formation of intermediate products, further accelerating the overall reaction.

The other options do not accurately describe the relationship between temperature and reaction rates. For example, stating that the rate of reaction decreases slightly would contradict established principles in chemistry, as most reactions are accelerated by increased temperature. Similarly, claiming that the rate remains low or stops completely disregards the fundamental impact temperature has on molecular motion and collision frequency. Therefore, the observation that the rate of reaction increases dramatically with temperature is supported by the principles of thermodynamics and kinetic molecular theory.