Why does increasing the pressure of a gas usually increase reaction rate?
A) The increased pressure acts as a catalyst on the gas particles in the reaction.
B) The gas particles are closer, which increases the number of collisions.
C) The surface area of the gas particles increases, which increases the number of collisions.
D) The speed of the gas particles increases, which increases the number of collisions.
B) The gas particles are closer, which increases the number of collisions.
When the pressure of a gas is increased, the gas particles are closer together and therefore collide more frequently. This increased frequency of collisions leads to a higher reaction rate, as more collisions mean more chances for successful reactions to occur.