Background: When a solid substance is involved in a chemical reaction, only the matter at the surface of the solid is exposed to other reactants. If a solid has more surface area, more of it is exposed and able to react. Therefore, increasing the surface area of solid reactants increases the reaction rate. Look at the hammer and nails pictured in the Figure below . Both are made of iron and will rust when the iron combines with oxygen in the air. However, the nails have a greater surface area, so they will rust faster.

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would have higher reaction rate, object A or object B?
Answer: object A

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would have lower reaction rate, object A or object B?
Answer: object B

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Would object A have higher or lower reaction rate than object B?
Answer: higher

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Would object B have higher or lower reaction rate than object A?
Answer: lower

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would be more exposed to the reactants, object A or object B?
Answer: object A

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would be less exposed to the reactants, object A or object B?
Answer: object B

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Would object A be more or less exposed to the reactants than object B?
Answer: more

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Would object B be more or less exposed to the reactants than object A?
Answer: less

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would seem react faster, object A or object B?
Answer: object A

Situation: John is trying to figure out how the shape of an object affects how it reacts with other elements. For that, he chose two objects, both made of the same element - object A and object B. Object A has a larger surface area, but object B has smaller surface area. He let these objects to react with other reactants to see how the processes work.

Question: Which object would seem react slower, object A or object B?
Answer: object B