Question

If the temperature of a reaction is decreased, what effect will this have on the rate of reaction?

(a) The rate of reaction will increase

(b) The rate of reaction will decrease

(c) The reaction will stop

(d) No effect on reaction

This question was addressed to me in an internship interview.

I'm obligated to ask this question of Concentration Gradients and Reaction Rates in Solid Catalysts topic in section Heterogenous Reactions of Bioprocess Engineering

Answer 1

Correct choice is (b) The rate of reaction will decrease

The explanation is: Increasing the temperature increases reaction rates because of the disproportionately large increase in the number of high energy collisions. It is only these collisions (possessing at least the activation energy for the reaction) which result in a reaction.