Nitrogen gas reacts with hydrogen gas according to the following equation.
N2(g) + 3H2(g) ----- 2NH3(g) with ∆H = −92 kJ
Why is the rate of reaction slow at room temperature?
A. The activation energy of the forward reaction is high.
B. The activation energy of the forward reaction is low.
C. The equilibrium constant is very small.
D. The rate of the reverse reaction is greater than the rate of the forward reaction.
Hi everyone,
The answer is A), what is the reasoning behind this?
Thank you!
The rate of a chemical reaction is influenced by several factors, including the activation energy, the temperature, and the concentrations of the reactants. In this case, the reaction of nitrogen gas (N2) with hydrogen gas (H2) to produce ammonia (NH3) is known to be slow at room temperature.
The activation energy of a reaction is the energy barrier that needs to be overcome for the reaction to proceed. If the activation energy is high, it means that a significant amount of energy is required for the reaction to occur, which can slow down the rate of reaction. At room temperature, there may not be enough energy to overcome this barrier, resulting in a slow rate of reaction.
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