Which of the following is NOT a common way to increase the rate of a chemical reaction?

• A. Lowering the temperature
• B. Increasing the surface area of a solid reactant
• C. Increasing the concentration of reactants
• D. Adding a catalyst

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the rate of a chemical reaction depends on factors that affect how often and how effectively reactant particles collide.
2. Recall that increasing temperature generally increases reaction rate because particles move faster and collide more energetically.
3. Recognize that increasing the surface area of a solid reactant exposes more particles to react, increasing the frequency of collisions and thus the reaction rate.
4. Know that increasing the concentration of reactants raises the number of particles in a given volume, leading to more frequent collisions and a faster reaction.
5. Understand that adding a catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, speeding up the reaction without being consumed.