5 x 1 hour lessons

This module revisits the core ideas behind how fast reactions happen and how we can control and model them. You'll revise collision theory, energy profiles, and the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution before exploring how temperature, concentration, pressure, and catalysts affect rate. The final lessons focus on rate equations, including determining the rate-determining step and reaction order from experimental data—key skills that regularly appear in Paper 2 and Paper 3.

By the end of this module you will be able to:

• explain reaction rate in terms of collision theory and activation energy

• sketch and interpret Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution curves

• describe and predict the effects of temperature, pressure, and concentration on reaction rate

• explain how catalysts work and how they affect energy profiles

• define and use rate equations and the rate constant

• determine reaction order and rate equations from experimental data

• identify the rate-determining step and propose a consistent mechanism

AQA Specification Points: 1.20 Collision theory 1.21 Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution 1.22 Effect of temperature on reaction rate 1.23 Effect of concentration and pressure 1.24 Catalysts 1.30 Rate equations 1.31 Determination of rate equation