In order to determine which reaction is expected to have collisions with a higher chance of reaction, we must consider several factors that influence the likelihood of successful collisions in a chemical reaction. These factors include the nature of the reactants, the activation energy of the reaction, and the reaction mechanism.
a. [tex]\(O (g) + N_2 (g) \longrightarrow NO (g) + N (g)\)[/tex]
This reaction involves molecular nitrogen ([tex]\(N_2\)[/tex]), which is known to be very stable due to the strong triple bond holding the two nitrogen atoms together. Consequently, breaking the [tex]\(N_2\)[/tex] molecule requires significant energy, leading to a high activation energy for the reaction. Oxygen in its atomic form ([tex]\(O\)[/tex]) is highly reactive, but the challenges inherent in breaking the [tex]\(N_2\)[/tex] bond make this reaction less likely to have collisions that successfully result in products.
b. [tex]\(NO (g) + Cl_2 (g) \longrightarrow NOCl (g) + Cl (g)\)[/tex]
In this reaction, nitrogen monoxide ([tex]\(NO\)[/tex]) and chlorine ([tex]\(Cl_2\)[/tex]) are the reactants. [tex]\(NO\)[/tex] is a relatively reactive molecule that is more likely to participate in chemical reactions compared to [tex]\(N_2\)[/tex]. Chlorine is also quite reactive, especially in its molecular form ([tex]\(Cl_2\)[/tex]). The reaction involves the formation of [tex]\(NOCl\)[/tex], a molecule for which the formation of new bonds requires less energy compared to breaking the triple bond in [tex]\(N_2\)[/tex] in Reaction a.
Given these considerations, Reaction b [tex]\(NO (g) + Cl_2 (g) \longrightarrow NOCl (g) + Cl (g)\)[/tex] is expected to have collisions with a higher chance of reaction due to:
1. Lower activation energy: [tex]\(NO\)[/tex] and [tex]\(Cl_2\)[/tex] interact more readily compared to the highly stable [tex]\(N_2\)[/tex].
2. Higher reactivity of the reactants: Both [tex]\(NO\)[/tex] and [tex]\(Cl_2\)[/tex] are more reactive, which increases the chances of successful collisions leading to the formation of [tex]\(NOCl\)[/tex] and [tex]\(Cl\)[/tex].
Thus, the reaction with nitrogen monoxide and chlorine (Reaction b) is more likely to have successful collisions compared to the reaction with molecular nitrogen and atomic oxygen (Reaction a).
