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How does the specific surface area of a solid catalyst affect the rate of reaction for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide?

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The specific surface area of a solid catalyst has a significant impact on the rate of reaction for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The specific surface area refers to the total surface area of a solid material per unit mass. A higher specific surface area means that there are more active sites available for the reactants to interact with the catalyst, leading to an increased rate of reaction.In the case of hydrogen peroxide decomposition, the reaction can be catalyzed by various solid catalysts, such as manganese dioxide  MnO2 , platinum, or iron oxide. The reaction can be represented by the following equation:2H2O2  aq   2H2O  l  + O2  g When the specific surface area of the solid catalyst is increased, the number of available active sites for the hydrogen peroxide molecules to interact with also increases. This leads to a higher probability of successful collisions between the reactant molecules and the catalyst, resulting in a faster rate of reaction.In practical terms, this means that a catalyst with a higher specific surface area will decompose hydrogen peroxide more quickly than a catalyst with a lower specific surface area, assuming all other factors are kept constant.It is important to note that other factors, such as temperature, pressure, and reactant concentration, can also affect the rate of reaction. However, the specific surface area of the catalyst remains a crucial factor in determining the overall reaction rate for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
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