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IB DP Chemistry Questions

16.2 Activation Energy

Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the activation energy of a reaction?

A. The energy required to break the bonds in the reactants.

B. The energy difference between the reactants and the products.

C. The minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.

D. The energy released when new bonds are formed in the products.

Question 2

If the activation energy for a reaction is high, what can be inferred about the rate of the reaction?

A. The reaction will be fast.

B. The reaction will be slow.

C. The reaction will be exothermic.

D. The reaction will be endothermic.

Question 3

Which component of the Arrhenius equation represents the frequency factor, indicating how often molecules collide?

A. k

B. Ea

C. R

D. A

Question 4

In the Arrhenius equation, what does the term e^(-Ea/RT) represent?

A. The fraction of molecules with energy equal to the activation energy.

B. The fraction of molecules with energy greater than the activation energy.

C. The fraction of molecules with energy less than the activation energy.

D. The fraction of molecules with energy equal to the reaction energy.

Question 5

How does an increase in temperature generally affect the activation energy of a reaction?

A. Increases the activation energy.

B. Decreases the activation energy.

C. Does not affect the activation energy.

D. Makes the activation energy zero.

Question 6

a) Explain the significance of the energy profile diagrams in understanding the kinetics of a chemical reaction. [3]

b) How does the activation energy influence the rate of a chemical reaction? [2]

Question 7

a) Describe the Arrhenius equation and its significance in the study of reaction rates. [3]

b) What is the physical meaning of the 'frequency factor' in the Arrhenius equation? [2]

Question 8

a) How does a change in temperature affect the activation energy and the rate of a reaction? [3]

b) Briefly explain the concept of the 'transition state' in a chemical reaction. [2]

Question 9

a) Describe the relationship between the activation energy of a reaction and its temperature sensitivity. [3]

b) How does a catalyst affect the activation energy of a reaction? [2]

c) Explain the significance of the Arrhenius plots in determining activation energies. [3]

Question 10

a) What is the physical significance of the rate constant (k) in the context of reaction kinetics? [3]

b) Using the Arrhenius equation, explain how the rate constant varies with temperature. [3]

c) Define the term 'molecularity' and explain its relevance in reaction mechanisms. [2]

Question 11

What is the significance of the transition state in a reaction?

A. It is the most stable state of the reaction.

B. It is the state where new bonds are starting to form and old bonds are breaking.

C. It is the state with the highest potential energy.

D. It is the state with the lowest potential energy.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about Arrhenius plots is true?

A. They plot reaction rate against temperature.

B. They plot ln(k) against 1/T.

C. They plot activation energy against temperature.

D. They plot the frequency factor against the reaction rate.

Question 13

If a catalyst is added to a reaction, how does it affect the activation energy?

A. Increases the activation energy.

B. Decreases the activation energy.

C. Does not change the activation energy.

D. Makes the activation energy negative.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the relationship between activation energy and the rate of reaction?

A. Directly proportional.

B. Inversely proportional.

C. Exponentially proportional.

D. No relationship.

Question 15

What role does the transition state play in determining the activation energy of a reaction?

A. It is the state with the lowest energy, so it determines the activation energy.

B. It is the state with the highest energy, so it determines the activation energy.

C. It has no role in determining the activation energy.

D. It determines the frequency factor, not the activation energy.

Question 16

a) Describe the concept of 'steady-state approximation' in complex reactions. [3]

b) How does the transition state theory provide a more detailed understanding of activation energy? [3]

c) Explain the difference between an activated complex and a transition state. [2]

Question 17

a) How does the concept of activation energy relate to the feasibility of a chemical reaction? [3]

b) Describe the role of temperature in overcoming activation energy barriers. [2]

c) Explain how the Arrhenius equation can be used to predict the effect of temperature on reaction rates. [3]

Question 18

a) Describe the energy profile diagram of an exothermic reaction and highlight the significance of the activation energy on this diagram. [3]

b) How does the presence of a catalyst influence the energy profile diagram of a reaction? [2]

c) Using the Arrhenius equation, explain the relationship between the frequency factor (A) and the rate constant (k). [3]

d) Briefly explain the concept of the transition state in the context of reaction kinetics. [3]

Question 19

a) How does the rate of a reaction change if its activation energy is halved, keeping all other factors constant? [2]

b) Describe the physical meaning of the rate constant (k) in the context of the Arrhenius equation. [3]

c) How does a change in temperature affect the activation energy of a reaction? [2]

d) Explain the significance of the Arrhenius plots in determining the temperature dependence of reaction rates. [3]

Question 20

a) What is the role of the transition state in determining the activation energy of a reaction? [3]

b) Describe the effect of increasing the concentration of reactants on the rate of a reaction. [2]

c) How does the frequency factor (A) in the Arrhenius equation relate to the orientation of colliding molecules? [2]

d) Explain the concept of 'molecularity' in the context of elementary reactions and its significance in reaction mechanisms. [3]

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