Collision Theory and Factors Affecting Reaction Rates

This page explores collision theory and how various factors influence the rate of chemical reactions.

Collision theory states that chemical reactions occur when particles collide with sufficient energy. The minimum energy required for a reaction is called the activation energy.

Factors that increase reaction rates:

1. Higher temperature - more frequent and energetic collisions
2. Greater concentration/pressure - more particles available to collide
3. Larger surface area - more exposed surface for collisions
4. Catalysts - provide an alternate reaction pathway with lower activation energy

Definition: Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy that particles must have to react when they collide.

Highlight: Catalysts increase reaction rates by lowering the activation energy, not by changing the overall energy change of the reaction.

Example: Increasing the concentration of sodium thiosulfate in the cross disappearance experiment will make the reaction happen faster, as there are more particles available for collision.

Reversible Reactions and Dynamic Equilibrium

This section covers reversible reactions and the concept of chemical equilibrium, crucial for understanding rates of reaction and equilibrium GCSE revision.

Key points:

• In reversible reactions, products can react to reform the original reactants
• Equilibrium is reached in a closed system when forward and reverse reaction rates are equal
• Le Chatelier's Principle describes how systems at equilibrium respond to changes

Effects on equilibrium:

• Increasing temperature shifts equilibrium towards the endothermic reaction
• Increasing reactant concentration shifts equilibrium towards products
• Increasing pressure shifts equilibrium towards fewer moles of gas

Definition: Dynamic equilibrium occurs when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction in a closed system.

Highlight: At equilibrium, the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant, but reactions continue to occur in both directions.

Example: In the Haber process for ammonia production, increasing pressure shifts the equilibrium towards the side with fewer gas molecules (the product side), increasing ammonia yield.

Crude Oil and Hydrocarbons

This page introduces crude oil and hydrocarbons, essential topics for GCSE Chemistry questions and answers PDF.

Crude oil:

• A finite resource composed mainly of hydrocarbons
• Separated into fractions by fractional distillation
• Fractions collected at different temperatures based on boiling points

Fractional distillation process:

1. Crude oil is heated and vaporized
2. Vapor enters the fractionating column
3. Fractions condense at different heights as temperature decreases
4. Collected fractions have similar boiling points

Vocabulary: Hydrocarbons are compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Example: Fractions obtained from crude oil distillation include:

• Refinery gases (top, coolest)
• Gasoline
• Kerosene
• Diesel
• Fuel oil
• Bitumen (bottom, hottest)

Highlight: Fractional distillation is crucial for separating crude oil into useful products with similar properties.

Alkanes and Combustion

This section covers alkanes and their combustion reactions, important for Quantitative Chemistry AQA GCSE questions.

Alkanes:

• Saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds between carbon atoms
• General formula: CnH2n+2
• First four members: methane, ethane, propane, butane (MEPB)

Combustion reactions:

• Complete combustion produces carbon dioxide and water
• Incomplete combustion produces carbon monoxide (toxic) and water

Definition: Saturated hydrocarbons contain the maximum number of hydrogen atoms possible for each carbon atom.

Example: Methane (CH4) combustion: CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O

Highlight: Carbon dioxide produced during combustion can be detected using limewater, which turns cloudy.

Vocabulary: Covalent bonds are shared electron pairs that hold atoms together in molecules.

Cracking Hydrocarbons

This page discusses the process of cracking hydrocarbons, an important topic for Quantitative Chemistry questions and answers PDF GCSE.

Cracking is the process of breaking down larger hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more useful ones. It is necessary because:

• There is higher demand for smaller hydrocarbon fractions (e.g. gasoline)
• Heavier fractions are less valuable

Types of cracking:

1. Thermal cracking - uses high temperatures and pressures
2. Catalytic cracking - uses a catalyst at lower temperatures

Products of cracking:

• Smaller alkanes
• Alkenes (unsaturated hydrocarbons with C=C double bonds)

Definition: Cracking is the process of breaking down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, more useful ones using heat or catalysts.

Example: Decane can be cracked to produce ethene and octane: C10H22 → C2H4 + C8H18

Highlight: Cracking helps meet the high demand for smaller hydrocarbon fractions like gasoline, which are more valuable than larger fractions.

Vocabulary: Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond.

Page six details carboxylic acids and their properties.

Definition: Carboxylic acids contain the -COOH functional group and are weak acids.

Example: Ethanoic acid (CH₃COOH) is commonly found in vinegar.

Highlight: These acids produce solutions with pH less than 7 and react with metal carbonates to produce carbon dioxide.

Page seven introduces polymer chemistry and addition polymerization.

Definition: Polymers are very large molecules made from many smaller reactive molecules called monomers.

Highlight: Crude oil derivatives are crucial in polymer production, used in various applications from cosmetics to explosives.

Example: Polyethene is a common plastic produced through polymerization.

Page eight explores natural polymers and their formation.

Definition: Natural polymers include carbohydrates, proteins, and polypeptides.

Vocabulary: Amino acids contain both amino (-NH₂) and carboxylic (-COOH) functional groups.

Highlight: Proteins form through condensation polymerization of amino acids.

Rates of Reaction and Equilibrium

This section covers the fundamentals of reaction rates and chemical equilibrium, essential topics for GCSE Chemistry questions and answers.

The rate of reaction measures how quickly reactants turn into products. It can be calculated using the formula:

Rate = Amount of reactant/product used / Time

Methods for measuring reaction rates include:

• Monitoring mass changes on a balance
• Measuring gas volume produced over time
• Observing color changes (e.g. sodium thiosulfate reaction)

Example: To measure the rate of a gas-producing reaction, connect a syringe to the reaction flask and record the volume of gas formed at regular time intervals. Plot a graph of volume vs time.

Highlight: Reaction rates can vary greatly - combustion is very fast, while rusting is slow.

Vocabulary: Tangents drawn to reaction rate curves can be used to determine the instantaneous rate at any point.

Definition: The rate of reaction tells you how fast reactants are converted into products over time.