[eRReR]

Hi,

I'm a high school chemistry teacher and I have a question. Take, for example, the reaction of C and O2:
C(s) + O2(g) --> CO2(g)

I know that increasing surface area of C will increase the reaction rate, as will increasing the temperature and adding a catalyst. Does increasing the pressure of O2 (i.e. its concentration) increase the reaction rate? I remember seeing somewhere that increasing the [O2] does not increase the reaction rate because of the fact that C will have certain surface of reactivity.

Any help is appreciated!

[Borek]

Think in terms of active collisions. Do their number change is pressure goes up and surface is kept constant?

[eRReR]

Think in terms of active collisions. Do their number change is pressure goes up and surface is kept constant?

I think that if the surface is kept constant, increasing the pressure pressure of O2 will increase reaction rate, but at some point it will not lead to an increase once the surface is surrounded by so much O2 that there are no more "sites" of reactivity. Does that sound right?

[Borek]

First half is OK, as to the saturation - I guess it may happen in some specific cases, but not as a general rule.