Question

What is the effect of temperature on the rate constant of a reaction? How can this effect of temperature on rate constant be represented quantitatively?

Answer 1

With increase in temperature, the rate of the reaction and the rate constant increases. As a generalization, the rate of the reaction (and the rate constant) becomes almost double for every ten degree rise in temperature. This is also called temperature coefficient. It is the ratio of rate constants of the reaction at two temperatures differing by ten degree. Thus,
temperature coefficient $=\frac{{\text{Rate constant at (T+10)}}^{o}C}{{\text{Rate constant at T}}^{o}C}$