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Rates of Reaction

What is Collision Theory?

Collision theory says that a chemical reaction can only
occur between particles when they collide (hit each other).
Particles may be atoms, ions or molecules.


What is Activation Energy?

There is a minimum amount of energy that particles
need in order to react with each other. If the colliding
particles have less than this minimum energy then
they just bounce off each other and no reaction occurs.
This minimum energy is called the activation energy.

The faster the particles are moving, the more energy
they have. Fast moving particles are more likely to react
when they collide. You can make particles move
faster by heating them up (raising the temperature).

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