Question detail
How does temperature affect the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of particles in a reaction?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Kinetics
Question
- A. The peak of the curve shifts to the right and becomes narrower.
- B. The peak of the curve shifts to the left and becomes wider.
- C. The area under the curve decreases.
- D. The curve remains unchanged.
Answer
The peak of the curve shifts to the right and becomes narrower.
Explanation
As temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the particles increases, causing the distribution curve to shift right. This indicates that more particles have higher energy, while the narrowing reflects that fewer particles have very low energy.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Activation Energy
Students often confuse activation energy with the overall energy change of a reaction, thinking it is the same as the enthalpy change.
Activation energy is the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur, not the total energy change. To clarify, remember that activation energy is a barrier that must be overcome for reactants to transform into products. Use the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution to visualize how temperature affects the number of particles with energy equal to or greater than the activation energy, thus increasing the reaction rate.
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