The Arrhenius equation explains how the speed of a reaction depends on temperature and the activation energy.
- It says that when the temperature increases, the reaction becomes faster because more molecules have enough energy to react.
- If the activation energy is high, the reaction is slower because fewer molecules can cross the energy barrier.
- A catalyst helps by lowering this barrier, so the reaction speeds up without the catalyst being used up.
- The equation also includes a factor that accounts for how often molecules collide in the correct way to form products.
In short: The Arrhenius equation links reaction rate, temperature, activation energy, and molecular collisions.