A scientist is trying to speed up the rate of a reaction. They want the reaction rate to increase by four times. How should they change the temperature to achieve this rate increase?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the Arrhenius equation, increasing the temperature of a reaction increases the reaction rate. The exact temperature change needed to quadruple the reaction rate depends on the activation energy of the reaction, but generally, a significant increase in temperature (such as 20°C) can substantially increase the rate. Decreasing the temperature would slow down the reaction, not speed it up.

A Scientist Is Trying to Speed Up the Rate of a Reaction