Temperature Effects on Gas Kinetics and Equilibrium

Steps:

• Temperature increase raises average kinetic energy of gas molecules per kinetic molecular theory.
• Higher kinetic energy boosts molecular speeds, increasing collision frequency.
• Collision theory links reaction rate to collision number and energy fraction exceeding activation energy (Ea).
• Both collision frequency and successful fraction rise with temperature, increasing successful collisions for forward and reverse reactions.

Why C is correct:

• Collision theory formula (rate = Z × e^(-Ea/RT)) shows both Z (collision frequency) and the exponential term increase with T, always yielding more successful collisions per unit time.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Equilibrium position depends on ΔH; endothermic reactions favor more product, exothermic favor less (Le Châtelier's principle).
• B: Average speed increases with T (v_avg ∝ √T), but in a reacting mixture, composition shifts may alter effective average, not guaranteeing uniform increase across all particles.

Final answer: C