Go to the PhET Reactions & Rates interactive. Use the Single Collision tab to represent how the collision between monatomic oxygen (O) and carbon monoxide (CO) results in the breaking of one bond and the formation of another. Pull back on the red plunger to release the atom and observe the results. Then, click on “Reload Launcher” and change to “Angled shot” to see the difference.
(a) What happens when the angle of the collision is changed?
(b) Explain how this is relevant to rate of reaction.
OpenStax Chemistry 2e, 12.2 Factors Affecting Reaction Rates, exercise 3