Which of the following is a way to increase the rate of a chemical reaction?

• A. Remove any catalyst present
• B. Increase the concentration of reactants
• C. Reduce the surface area of solid reactants
• D. Decrease the temperature

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the rate of a chemical reaction depends on factors such as concentration, temperature, surface area, and the presence of a catalyst.
2. Recall that increasing the concentration of reactants generally increases the reaction rate because more reactant particles are available to collide and react.
3. Recognize that removing a catalyst would decrease the reaction rate since catalysts provide an alternative pathway with lower activation energy.
4. Know that reducing the surface area of solid reactants decreases the reaction rate because fewer particles are exposed to react.
5. Understand that decreasing the temperature lowers the reaction rate since particles have less kinetic energy, leading to fewer effective collisions.