---
title: "A student studies an aqueous reaction that degrades a food dye. The student performs the reaction at both \\(295\\text{ K}\\) and \\(315\\text{ K}\\), using the same initial reactant concentrations and no catalyst. The molecular kinetic-energy distributions are represented in the graph, where \\(E_a\\) is the activation energy for the reaction.  Which statement best predicts and explains the effect of increasing the temperature from \\(295\\text{ K}\\) to \\(315\\text{ K}\\) on the initial reaction rate?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119424/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:40:15+00:00"
---

# A student studies an aqueous reaction that degrades a food dye. The student performs the reaction at both \(295\text{ K}\) and \(315\text{ K}\), using the same initial reactant concentrations and no catalyst. The molecular kinetic-energy distributions are represented in the graph, where \(E_a\) is the activation energy for the reaction.

Which statement best predicts and explains the effect of increasing the temperature from \(295\text{ K}\) to \(315\text{ K}\) on the initial reaction rate?

A student studies an aqueous reaction that degrades a food dye. The student performs the reaction at both \(295\text{ K}\) and \(315\text{ K}\), using the same initial reactant concentrations and no catalyst. The molecular kinetic-energy distributions are represented in the graph, where \(E_a\) is the activation energy for the reaction.

Which statement best predicts and explains the effect of increasing the temperature from \(295\text{ K}\) to \(315\text{ K}\) on the initial reaction rate?

![Create a grayscale Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution graph with a horizontal axis labeled “Molecular kinetic energy” and a vertical axis labeled “Relative number of molecules.” Use bare axes with arrowheads and no tick marks, numerical values, or gridlines. Draw two smooth curves of equal total area. The solid curve begins at the origin, rises steeply to a tall narrow peak about one-third across the axis, and then approaches the horizontal axis. The dashed curve begins at the origin, has a lower broader peak farther right, and decays more gradually. Place a vertical dotted line labeled “\(E_a\)” about three-quarters across the horizontal axis, to the right of both peaks; beyond it, the dashed curve lies above the solid curve. Include a legend mapping solid to “\(295\text{ K}\)” and dashed to “\(315\text{ K}\).” No other labels, text, or annotations appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787143214-zmA7Tv.jpg)

- **A.** The initial rate decreases because the lower maximum of the \(315\text{ K}\) distribution indicates that fewer reactant particles are moving.
- **B.** The initial rate decreases because the \(315\text{ K}\) distribution has fewer particles with kinetic energies below \(E_a\).
- **C.** The initial rate increases because heating lowers \(E_a\), allowing more collisions to overcome the energy barrier.
- **D.** The initial rate increases because a larger fraction of collisions at \(315\text{ K}\) have enough energy to overcome the unchanged \(E_a\).

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119424/*