What is the Arrhenius equation?

What is the Arrhenius equation?

• A. P = RT/(V - b) - a/V^2
• B. ΔP = 8 μ L Q /(π r^4)
• C. k = A e^(-Ea/RT)
• D. ln((P2^sat)/(P1^sat)) = (-ΔHvap)/R(1/T2 -1/T1)

Answer: (C)

The Arrhenius equation shows how a chemical reaction’s rate constant depends on temperature, capturing how energy must be overcome to react. It is written as k = A e^(-Ea/RT), where k is the rate constant, A is the pre-exponential (frequency) factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is absolute temperature. The exponential term means that as temperature rises, the fraction of molecules with enough energy to cross the energy barrier Ea increases, so k grows. A reflects how often molecules collide in the correct orientation, while Ea represents the energy barrier to form the transition state. This relation also lets you determine Ea from experimental data by plotting ln k versus 1/T, where the slope equals -Ea/R. Other formulas shown describe different physical phenomena, such as gas flow in pipes or vapor-pressure changes with temperature, and do not describe the temperature dependence of reaction rates.

The Arrhenius equation shows how a chemical reaction’s rate constant depends on temperature, capturing how energy must be overcome to react. It is written as k = A e^(-Ea/RT), where k is the rate constant, A is the pre-exponential (frequency) factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is absolute temperature. The exponential term means that as temperature rises, the fraction of molecules with enough energy to cross the energy barrier Ea increases, so k grows. A reflects how often molecules collide in the correct orientation, while Ea represents the energy barrier to form the transition state. This relation also lets you determine Ea from experimental data by plotting ln k versus 1/T, where the slope equals -Ea/R. Other formulas shown describe different physical phenomena, such as gas flow in pipes or vapor-pressure changes with temperature, and do not describe the temperature dependence of reaction rates.