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Chemical Reactions And The Chemical Reaction

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Introduction
Chemistry is a branch of science commonly defined as “the study of the structure, properties, and reactions of the chemical elements and the compounds they form” (The American Heritage Science Dictionary, 2002). This definition is very general and covers a range of study areas, including those that are an asset to society. Chemical reactions are studied by many chemists as they common occurrences in everyday life (Stewart, 2014). Without chemical reactions people would be unable to perform simple tasks that are essential for quality of life and even life itself, such as cooking, lighting a match and breathing (Helmenstine, 2015). A chemical reaction occurs when a chemical change takes place, producing new substances. However, all chemical reactions are different and vary greatly in the time it takes for them to occur (Chem4kids.com, 2015).
A Reaction rate is the speed it takes for a chemical reaction to occur. That is, how fast a reactant is used up or a product is formed (BBC, 2014). Rates of reaction are essential in important tasks such are medicine administration and it is therefore crucial for scientists to understand how they work and what affects them (Lofts, 2012). The mechanics of reaction rates is based around the theory of collision, proposed by Max Trautz and William Lewis in the early 1900’s. The theory suggests that reactant particles must collide for a chemical reaction to occur, the more collisions that occur, the faster the reaction rate will

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