Activation energy, collision and reactions!

In every chemical reactions bonds must be broken so that new ones can be made. 

Most reactions need a certain amount of energy to start. This is activated by striking it. A candle will not burn until a match is held to it. The amount of energy needed to get a reaction started is called the activation energy.

A lighted match starts the reaction between oxygen in the air and candle wax. Once started, the reaction continues without help.

For a chemical reaction to occur, the reactant particles must collide. Collisions with too little energy do not produce a reaction.

Particles with a little bit of energy  will not react when they collide unlike some that will have enough energy (activation energy) will react when they collide. 

The collision must have enough energy for the particles to react. The minimum energy needed for particles to react is called the activation energy.

If the temperature is increased: the reactant particles move more quickly more particles have the activation energy or greater the particles collide more often, and more of the collisions result in a reaction the rate of reaction increases

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