Name: KEY

Collision Theory Gizmo

Rate of Reactions
A chemical reaction causes the chemical compositions of substances to change. Reactants are substances that enter
into a reaction, and products are substances produced by the reaction. The Collision Theory Gizmo™ allows you to
experiment with several factors that affect the rate at which reactants are transformed into products in a chemical
reaction.

In this activity, you will simulate chemical reactions and manipulate various variables to determine the time for the
reactions to fully occur.

 Go to www.explorelearning.com
 Login using the username and password on the index card.
 Select the “8th Grade” tab
 Scroll down the page and find the Collision Theory gizmo and select “Launch Gizmo”
 Turn the simulation speed up to its highest setting.
 Manipulate the gizmo to achieve the following setting, determine the time for 10 products to form.
 For each reaction use your knowledge of Reaction Rates and information from the text to explain why the
rate of reaction would increase or decrease. (Numbers will vary but the trend should be the same (increase
or decrease compared to standard.

Time Taken for Reason for why it is different than the

Settings
Reaction (min:sec) standard
Standard
Reactant 1 mol/L
Catalyst 0 mol/L 25:12
Surface Area – Minimum
Temperature 100 °C
Increase Concentration
Reactant 2.0 mol/L There are more reactant molecules in a given
Catalyst 0 mol/L 5:14 volume (and a small amount of space) will make
Surface Area – Minimum them bump into each other more often.
Temperature 100 °C
Decrease Concentration
Reactant 0.5 mol/L There are less reactant molecules in a given
Catalyst 0 mol/L 149.17 volume and they are not likely to bump into each
Surface Area – Minimum other.
Temperature 100 °C
Addition of a Catalyst
Reactant 1 mol/L A catalyst helps bring reactants together in the
Catalyst 0.25 mol/L 4:52 correct orientation so they can form a bond
Surface Area – Minimum (lowers the activation energy needed to do this).
Temperature 100 °C
Increase in Surface Area
Reactant 1 mol/L The reactants are more exposed to other reactants
Catalyst 0 mol/L 4:46
Surface Area – Maximum and can bump into each other easily.
Temperature 100 °C
Increase in Temperature
Reactant 1 mol/L The reactants move very quickly and bump into
Catalyst 0 mol/L 4:23
Surface Area – Minimum each other often and with enough energy.
Temperature 200 °C
Decrease in Temperature
Reactant 1 mol/L The reactants move very slowly and rarely bump
Catalyst 0 mol/L 154:13
Surface Area – Minimum into each other with enough energy.
Temperature 50 °C
Apply your results:

1. For two molecules to react, they must collide at just the right angle and with enough energy to break the
original bonds and form new ones. Based on these facts, why does the reaction tend to go more
quickly at higher temperatures?
The reactants move very quickly and bump into
each other often and with enough energy. At a
lower temperature, they are much slower.

2. a. Why does the reaction proceed more quickly when the surface area is increased?

The reactants are more exposed to other reactants

and can bump into each other easily.

b. What would happen if the substance was covered and the surface area was decreased?
Why is this?

The reactants would be prevented from bumping into each other

and could not form a bond if one of the substances was covered.
This would inhibit (stop) the reaction or severely slow it down.

3. Most of the chemical reactions inside your body rely on protein catalysts called enzymes to take place.
For example, the enzyme pepsin helps to break down protein molecules in your stomach. What might
happen if your stomach stopped producing pepsin?

-Your stomach may not be able to break down all food molecules

-Your digestion would be slowed down

4. Hydrochloric acid reacts with the mineral calcite to produce carbon dioxide gas, water, and calcium
chloride. Based on what you have learned in the gizmo, what are three things you could do to make the
reaction occur more quickly and why would they work?

-heat up acid (increases speed of reactants and increases collisions)

-break up the calcite (increases surface area and causes more collisions)

-Add a catalyst (will help reactants come together)

-Use a concentrated acid (increases reactants that are close together and can bump into each
other).