To increase the rate of a chemical reaction such as the production of water from hydrogen and oxygen, you need to enhance the frequency of effective collisions between the reactant molecules. Here, let's evaluate each option given to determine if it speeds up the reaction:
1. Use a less-intense source of heat on the reactants:
- Reducing the heat would decrease the kinetic energy of the molecules, leading to fewer collisions and a slower reaction rate. This option does not speed up the reaction.
2. Maintain the same temperature of the reactants:
- Keeping the temperature unchanged means the kinetic energy and collision frequency of the molecules remain constant. This option does not change the reaction rate.
3. Place the reactants in a smaller container:
- Placing the reactants in a smaller container increases the concentration of the gases. This increased concentration leads to a higher number of collisions per unit time, which should speed up the reaction rate. This option does speed up the reaction.
4. Reduce the concentration of the reactants:
- Lowering the concentration of the reactants means fewer molecules are available to collide, which would reduce the frequency of effective collisions. This option does not speed up the reaction.
Therefore, the effective way to speed up the production of water by increasing the frequency of collisions between hydrogen and oxygen molecules is to:
Place the reactants in a smaller container.
