The Oxford School, Dubai

AS Chemistry Workbook
Topic-Kinetics
1. Explain what is meant by the terms:
a) Collision frequency

..
b) Activation energy

..
2. a)Sketch the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies for a low
temperature T1 and a higher temperature T2. Explain what happens to

(i) the mean kinetic energy

..
1

The Oxford School, Dubai

AS Chemistry Workbook
Topic-Kinetics
(ii) the area under the graph

..
(iii) the number of particles having the most common amount of energy

..
b) Hence explain why an increase in temperature has such a large effect on the
rate of reaction.

..
3.

a)

Explain the meaning of the term catalyst.

..

b)

Explain how a catalyst lowers the activation energy for a reaction.

..

c)

Use the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies to

explain how this leads to an increase in reaction rate.

..
2

The Oxford School, Dubai

AS Chemistry Workbook
Topic-Kinetics
4. For each of the following reactions, list three ways in which the rate of the
reaction could be increased:
a)

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)

..

b)

H2(g) + I2(g) 2HI(g)

..

c)

2H2O2(aq) 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

..

5. (a)State and explain, using the collision theory, the effect of concentration,
temperature and a catalyst on the rate of a reaction.
(b) State what is meant by the terms rate of reaction and activation energy.
Rate of reaction............................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
Activationenergy...........................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................

The Oxford School, Dubai

AS Chemistry Workbook
Topic-Kinetics
(c) The diagram below shows the Maxwell-Boltzmann energy distribution
curve for a sample of gas at a fixed temperature. Ea is the activation
energy for the decomposition of this gas.

Number of
molecules
with a given
energy

Ea

Energy

(i) On this diagram sketch the distribution curve for the same sample of
gas at a higher temperature.
(ii) What is the effect of an increase in temperature on the rate of a
chemical reaction? Explain your answer with reference to the
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.
Effect....................................................................................................
Explanation...........................................................................................
.
(iii) What is the effect of the addition of a catalyst on the rate of a
chemical reaction? Explain your answer with reference to the
Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution.
Effect....................................................................................................
Explanation...........................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................