Question

Higher order (>3) reactions are rare due to:
A. Low probability of simultaneous collision of all the reacting species
B. Increases in entropy and activation energy as more molecules are involved.
C. Shifting of equilibrium towards reactants energy due to elastic collisions
D. Loss of active species on collision.

Answer 1

Hint: Order of the reaction is going to depend on the number of reactants involved in a given chemical reaction. Mostly the order of the maximum chemical reactions is either o or one or two only. Order of the reaction also depends on the number of reactants they are going to collide each other during the reaction.

Complete step by step answer:
- We have to say the reason why higher order (>3) reactions are rare.
- In a chemical reaction the formation of the products is going to depend on the orientation of the molecules and the effective collision between them.
- A high order reaction is nothing but the concurrent collision of all the reactants involved in the chemical reaction.
- The probability of the concurrent collision of three or more than three molecules in a chemical reaction is very less.
- Means if the reactants are 3 or more than three in a chemical reaction then the chances of collision between all these molecules to form the product are very less.
- Therefore higher order (>3) reactions are rare due to Low probability of simultaneous collision of all the reacting species.
So, the correct answer is “Option A”.

Note: If a chemical reaction contains one or two reactants, then the probability of collision between them to produce the product is very high because the orientation of the reactants also suits well till the reaction contains reactants up to two.