module 3: 10.3 Boltzmann distribution

Question 1

explain some of the features of the Boltzmann distribution

Answer 1

• no molecules have 0 energy - the curve starts at the origin
• the area under the curve is equal to the total number of molecules
• there is no maximum energy for a molecule - the curve does not meet the x-axis at high energy

Question 2

what happens to the Boltzmann distribution curve at higher temperatures

Answer 2

• more molecules have an energy greater than or equal to the activation energy
• therefore a greater proportion of collisions will lead to a reaction, increasing the rate of reaction
• collisions will be more frequent as the molecules are moving faster, but the increased energy of the molecules is much more important than the increased frequency of collisions

Question 3

what happens to the Boltzmann distribution curve with the presence of catalysts

Answer 3

the catalyst provides an alternative reaction route with lower activation energy. A greater proportion of molecules now have energy equal to or more than the activation energy leading to an increase in RoR