Methane and oxygen react to form carbon dioxide and water. The reaction speed can be increased by:

• A. Increasing the temperature of the reactants
• B. Removing any catalyst present
• C. Decreasing the concentration of methane
• D. Lowering the pressure of oxygen gas

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the type of reaction: Methane (CH\_4) reacts with oxygen (O\_2) in a combustion reaction to form carbon dioxide (CO\_2) and water (H\_2O).
2. Recall that reaction speed (rate) depends on factors such as temperature, concentration, pressure, and presence of catalysts.
3. Understand that increasing temperature generally increases reaction rate because molecules have more kinetic energy, leading to more frequent and energetic collisions.
4. Recognize that removing a catalyst would decrease the reaction rate since catalysts provide an alternative pathway with lower activation energy.
5. Note that decreasing concentration or lowering pressure reduces the number of reactant molecules per volume, thus decreasing the reaction rate.