Increasing the surface area of a solid affects the rate of a reaction by which effect?

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Study for the IGCSE Edexcel Chemistry Test. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Increasing the surface area of a solid affects the rate of a reaction by which effect?

Explanation:
Increasing surface area exposes more of the solid to the other reactant, so more particles at the surface can collide per unit time. In a reaction involving a solid, only surface particles can react, so grinding the solid into a powder or using smaller pieces creates more reacting sites. This increases the number of effective collisions and speeds up the rate of reaction. It doesn’t lower the rate, have no effect, or reverse it—the greater exposed surface means faster reaction.

Increasing surface area exposes more of the solid to the other reactant, so more particles at the surface can collide per unit time. In a reaction involving a solid, only surface particles can react, so grinding the solid into a powder or using smaller pieces creates more reacting sites. This increases the number of effective collisions and speeds up the rate of reaction. It doesn’t lower the rate, have no effect, or reverse it—the greater exposed surface means faster reaction.

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