Why does increasing the temperature generally cause a chemical reaction to proceed faster?

• A. Because the activation energy of the reaction decreases as temperature increases.
• B. Because the concentration of reactants increases with temperature.
• C. Because the products become more stable at higher temperatures.
• D. Because particles have more kinetic energy, leading to more frequent and energetic collisions.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the rate of a chemical reaction depends on how often and how effectively reactant particles collide.
2. Recall that temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance.
3. Recognize that increasing temperature means particles move faster, which increases their kinetic energy.
4. Know that faster-moving particles collide more frequently and with greater energy, increasing the chances of overcoming the activation energy barrier.
5. Conclude that this leads to an increased reaction rate because more collisions have enough energy to result in a reaction.