Temperature Effects and Catalysts
Temperature changes are like giving particles a massive energy boost. When you heat up reactants, particles move faster and hit each other more frequently - plus they collide with greater force.
Every reaction has an activation energy - the minimum energy barrier particles must overcome to react successfully. Think of it as the height you need to jump to get over a fence. Higher temperatures help more particles clear this energy hurdle.
Catalysts are absolute game-changers because they provide a shortcut route with lower activation energy. They speed up reactions without getting used up themselves - like having a lower fence to jump over whilst keeping the same fence for future runners.
Reversible reactions can go both ways depending on conditions. The classic example is ammonium chloride breaking down into ammonia and hydrogen chloride when heated, then reforming when cooled - perfect for understanding how energy changes affect reaction direction.
Remember: Exothermic reactions release energy (products have less energy than reactants), whilst endothermic reactions absorb energy (products have more energy than reactants).