What is the effect of higher temperature on reaction rate?

• A. Decreases kinetic energy
• B. Increases activation energy
• C. Decreases collision frequency
• D. Increases kinetic energy; more particles exceed activation energy

Answer: (D)

Raising temperature makes the reacting particles move faster, increasing their average kinetic energy. Because they move faster, there are more collisions per second, and a larger portion of those collisions have enough energy to overcome the activation energy barrier. With more collisions that can actually react, the rate goes up. So the idea that higher kinetic energy leads to more particles exceeding activation energy best explains why the reaction speeds up with higher temperature. If the temperature were lower, or the activation energy harder to overcome, the rate would fall.