Changing the surface area of the reactants
1 mark · EasyState what happens to the rate of reaction when a solid reactant is broken into smaller pieces, keeping all other conditions the same.
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The rate of reaction increases.
Also accept: It speeds up; Reaction happens faster; The reaction increases
Common mistakes: It decreases; No change
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Marking points
B1 · 1 mark · Correctly states that breaking the solid into smaller pieces increases the rate of reaction.
Worked solution
Breaking the solid into smaller pieces increases the surface area, so the rate of reaction increases.