Question

Chemical reactions occur when reactants collide. What are two factors that may prevent a collision from producing a chemical reaction?

Short answer

Collision theory is a theory that is used to predict the rates of chemical reactions, particularly those involving gases. The collision theory holds that for a reaction to take place, the reacting species (atoms or molecules) must come into contact with one another.

Collision theory is founded on the following premises:

The reacting species must collide in such a way that contact between the atoms that will become bonded together in the product is possible.

The collision must have enough energy to allow mutual penetration of the valence of the reacting species. Shells, allowing electrons to rearrange and form new bonds (and new chemical species).

Step-by-step solution

Reaction of carbon monoxide with oxygen

Carbon monoxide is a pollutant that is produced during the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. Automobiles have catalytic converters that use a catalyst to carry out this reaction to reduce this pollutant. It is also a byproduct of gunpowder combustion that causes muzzle flash in many firearms. At high temperatures and pressure, the reaction is spontaneous if sufficient amounts of carbon monoxide and oxygen are present.

The collision of two molecules is the first step in the gas-phase reaction of carbon monoxide and oxygen:

\({\bf{CO}}\left( {\bf{g}} \right){\bf{ + }}{{\bf{O}}_{\bf{2}}}\left( {\bf{g}} \right) \to {\bf{C}}{{\bf{O}}_{\bf{2}}}\left( {\bf{g}} \right){\bf{ + O}}\left( {\bf{g}} \right)\)

In the primary case, the oxygen aspect of the carbon monoxide molecule collides with the oxygen molecule.

Formation of carbon dioxide

In the second case, the carbon aspect of the carbon monoxide molecule collides with the oxygen molecule. The second case truly favors the formation of carbon dioxide (O = C = O), which has a crucial carbon atom bonded to 2 oxygen atoms. This is an easy example of ways critical collision orientation is in generating the favored response product. Two possible collisions between carbon monoxide and oxygen molecules. The orientation of the colliding molecules influences whether or not a reaction between the two molecules occurs.