Powdering a solid reactant increases the rate of reaction because it increases the
- A. concentration of the solid
- B. temperature of the mixture
- C. activation energy
- D. surface area available for collisions
Explanation
A reaction between a solid and a fluid can only occur at the exposed surface, so grinding the solid exposes far more particles and the collision frequency rises in proportion. This is why a fine dust of flour or coal can explode while a solid lump merely burns. The concentration of a pure solid has no meaning, and neither the temperature nor the activation energy is affected.