5.2 Maxwell Boltzmann diagram

Question 1

What is the maxwell boltzmann distribution

Answer 1

All particles in gas or solution have different energies as they are moving at different speeds, some very slowly some middle some very fast.

Plot graph of energy of a particle against the fraction of particles that have that energy

Question 2

Describe what the graph would look like

Answer 2

• No particles have no energy
• Most particles have intermediate energies, around the peak of the curve
• A few have very high energies ( the right side of the curve)

Question 3

What is activation energy

How is it shown on graph

Answer 3

For a reaction to take place, a collision between particles must have enough energy to start breaking bonds

You can mark vertical line stating activation energy, and the area under the right side of the graph represents number of particles which have enough energy to react

Question 4

Why is a high activation energy sometimes good

Answer 4

Fuels etc can be stored at room temp as the activation energy is too high for them to react

However a small spark can provide this energy and set off a combustion reaction

Question 5

How does the shape of distribution curve change with increasing temperature

Answer 5

At higher temperatures, the peak of the curve is lower and moves to the right as more particles have more energy.

The total area under curve is the same for every temperature as it represents total number of particles

So increasing temperature increases the amount of energy each particle has so more successful collisions increase rate of reactions