Question

2. Utilize your knowledge of reaction rates, collision theory and activation energy to explain why concentrated solutions of acids are more reactive than dilute solutions of acids?

Answer 1

Depending on the factors like reaction rates, collision theory and activation energy we can say that concentrated acids are more reactive than dilute acids because:-

1. Reaction rates:- as we know from our studies of chemical kinetics that the rate of a reaction is directly proportional to the product of concentrations of the various reactants or products. Thus, the concentration of the particles in a concentrated acid is more compared to the dilute acid which indicates a faster reaction rate and more reactivity of the concentrated acid.

2. Collision theory :- as the concentration of the particles is more in the concentrated acid the constituent particles undergo a very large number of collisions that is necessary to bring about a chemical change. Thus, greater the number of collisions faster is the reaction which says that concentrated acids undergo faster reaction with high concentration.

Activation energy :- from the defination we know that activation energy is the minimum energy that a molecule should possess inorder to undergo a chemical change. As the concentration of the molecules is more in a concentrated acid, the number of molucules having energy equal to the that of the activation energy is also more. Thus, more number of molecules undergo the chemical change for giving a particular product. On the other side, dilute acid has lesser number of particles to cross the activation energy barrier and thus is less reactive.

Hence, we can say that concentrated acids are more reactive than dilute acids.