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⚡ Reaction Rate Weeks 5–6

Factors Affecting Rate of Chemical Reactions

Some reactions are fast, some are slow. In this module, you’ll explore how we can speed up or slow down reactions using Temperature, Surface Area, Catalysts, and Concentration. 🚀

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What is reaction rate?

It’s how fast reactants become products. Faster collisions + more effective collisions = faster reaction.

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Temperature

Higher temperature → particles move faster → more energetic collisions → faster reaction.

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Surface Area

Smaller pieces (powder) expose more area → more collision sites → faster reaction.

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Catalyst

Catalysts speed up reactions by lowering activation energy — they’re not used up.

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Concentration

More reactant particles in the same space → more collisions → faster reaction.

Tip: Start the simulations on the right 👉

Tip: Click a simulation, try the controls, then open the explanation. 💙