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: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: Whose reactions will occur at a faster rate?
Answer: Justin

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: Whose reactions will occur at a slower rate?
Answer: Thomas

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: In which person's reaction will the acid and base particles move faster?
Answer: Justin

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: In which person's reaction will the acid and base particles move slower?
Answer: Thomas

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: If Justin wanted the rate of his reactions to be similar to Thomas's, should he increase or decrease the temperature of his reactions?
Answer: decrease

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: If Thomas wanted the rate of his reactions to be similar to Justin's, should he increase or decrease the temperature of his reactions?
Answer: increase

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: In which person's reactions will the acid and base particles be more likely to collide with each other?
Answer: Justin

Situation: Justin and Thomas are two college students conducting an experiment in their chemistry laboratory course.  They are mixing together acids and bases to produce sodium based compounds. Justin conducts his reactions at a high temperature, while Thomas conducts his reactions at a lower temperature.

Question: In which person's reactions will the acid and base particles be less likely to collide with each other?
Answer: Thomas

Situation: Sam and Jim are two bakers who both just finished baking a batch of muffins. They both baked more muffins than they needed, so they decided to store some of them for later. Sam decided to store his extra muffins in the refrigerator, where the temperature is relatively high. Jim instead decided to store his extra muffins in the freezer, where the temperature is relatively low.

Question: Whose muffins will spoil faster?
Answer: Sam

Situation: Sam and Jim are two bakers who both just finished baking a batch of muffins. They both baked more muffins than they needed, so they decided to store some of them for later. Sam decided to store his extra muffins in the refrigerator, where the temperature is relatively high. Jim instead decided to store his extra muffins in the freezer, where the temperature is relatively low.

Question: Whose muffins will spoil slower?
Answer: Jim