When copper sulfate is made by reacting copper oxide with sulfuric acid, the acid is heated. Why?
A. To increase the rate of reaction
B. To decrease the rate of reaction
C. To prevent the formation of byproducts
D. To decrease the energy of activation
A) To increase the rate of reaction (Correct Answer): Heating the sulfuric acid increases the kinetic energy of the particles, leading to more frequent and energetic collisions between the reactant particles. This, in turn, increases the rate of reaction between copper oxide and sulfuric acid, facilitating the production of copper sulfate.
B) To decrease the rate of reaction: Heating typically increases the rate of reaction by providing more energy for particles to overcome the activation energy barrier. Decreasing the temperature would slow down the reaction, which is not the intended outcome in this scenario.
C) To prevent the formation of byproducts: While heating may influence the selectivity of reactions and the formation of byproducts in some cases, the primary purpose of heating sulfuric acid in this context is to increase the rate of reaction rather than to prevent the formation of byproducts.
D) To decrease the energy of activation: Heating increases the energy of particles, helping them overcome the energy barrier required for the reaction to occur. Therefore, heating sulfuric acid would increase the energy of activation rather than decrease it.
Therefore, the Correct Answer is A.
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