The reaction of OH with hydrocarbons initiates the formation of atmospheric aerosols, and is an important elementary step in combustion. The rate constants for the reaction of OH with ethane measured between 822 and 1367 K are well fit to an Arrhenius expression with k $ (1.1 × 10"10 cm3 s"1)exp("2537 K>T). In contrast, the rate constant for the reaction of OH with ethane is nearly constant with temperature at k $ 6 × 10"12 cm3 s"1. What can you conclude about the probable barrier heights for each reaction? For the OH ! ethane reaction, would an OH radical with a speed equal to twice the average speed of OH at 1000 K have a chance of having a reactive collision with a ethane molecule that also had a speed equal to twice the average speed in the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for ethane molecules? Explain.

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Arrhenius equation k A e E a RT where A preexponential factor expresses the fraction of reactant mol... View the full answer