Background: When the temperature of reactants is higher, the rate of the reaction is faster. At higher temperatures, particles of reactants have more energy, so they move faster. As a result, they are more likely to bump into one another and to collide with greater force. For example, food spoils because of chemical reactions, and these reactions occur faster at higher temperatures (see the bread on the left in the Figure below ). This is why we store foods in the refrigerator or freezer (like the bread on the right in the Figure below ). The lower temperature slows the rate of spoilage.

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker's particles are moving faster?
Answer: Beaker X

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker's particles are moving slower?
Answer: Beaker A

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker's particles have more energy?
Answer: Beaker X

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker's particles have less energy?
Answer: Beaker A

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Are the particles in Beaker A more or less likely to bump into each other than the particles in Beaker X?
Answer: less

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Are the particles in Beaker X more or less likely to bump into each other than the particles in Beaker A?
Answer: more

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: If the heat of Beaker A's burner was turned up, would the energy in the particles increase or decrease?
Answer: increase

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: If the heat of Beaker X's burner was turned down, would the energy in the particles increase or decrease?
Answer: decrease

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker will have a faster rate of reaction?
Answer: Beaker X

Situation: Two identical chemical compounds are both in beakers on top of burners in a laboratory. Beaker A is sitting on top of a burner that is set to a low temperature, and Beaker X is on a burner with a high temperature. Ken, the scientist studying these compounds, is closely monitoring the chemicals to see what type of changes occur.

Question: Which beaker will have a slower rate of reaction?
Answer: Beaker A