What happens to the reaction rate if the temperature is increased?

Increasing the temperature of a reaction usually leads to an increase in the reaction rate. This can be attributed to the fact that a higher temperature provides reactant molecules with more kinetic energy. As the kinetic energy of the molecules increases, they move faster and collide more frequently and with greater energy.

These more energetic collisions enhance the likelihood that reactant molecules will overcome the activation energy barrier needed for the reaction to proceed. The activation energy is the minimum energy that must be provided to the reactants for the reaction to occur. As a result, a higher temperature typically increases the number of successful collisions, leading to an increased rate of reaction.

This principle is supported by the Arrhenius equation, which illustrates how temperature affects the rate constant of a reaction. An increase in temperature causes the rate constant to increase, thus speeding up the reaction.

In summary, when the temperature is increased, the rate of reaction increases due to enhanced molecular motion and collision frequency, making the correct answer to the question clear.