Boltzmann Distribution (10.3) Flashcards
Why does the graph never touch the x-axis?
Because no molecules have zero energy
Why doesn’t the graph hit the top of the y-axis?
Because there is no maximum energy for a molecule
What is the y-axis on the Maxwell-Boltzmann graph labelled?
“Number of particles”
What is the x-axis labelled?
“Kinetic energy”
What are factors that affect the Boltzmann distribution graph?
-Temperature
-Concentration
-Using a catalyst
What happens to the Boltzmann distribution graph when you increase the temperature
The peak lowers and shifts to the right.
What does the area underneath the curve represent?
The total number of molecules
Why does increasing the temperature increase the rate of reaction?
-More molecules have an equal amount/greater energy than the activation energy
-More collisions will occur per unit of time due to molecules moving faster
Does adding a catalyst change the shape of the graph?
No, the activation energy only becomes lower
How does increasing the concentration change the shape of the graph?
The curve becomes taller because of the extra particles but the activation energy stays the same.
Why does increasing the concentration increase the rate of reaction?
Because more particles overall will have sufficient energy/effective collisions to react
