In an automobile's catalytic converter,

several reactions occur to reduce the amount

of carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, and

unburned hydrocarbon pollutants that are

released in the exhaust gases. The exhaust

gases pass over a ceramic honeycombed

structure with a large surface area plated with

the catalysts platinum, rhodium, and

palladium before they leave the tail-pipe. In

spite of these safeguards, however, studies

have shown that most of the pollutants

released from a car happen during the first

one to two minutes after the car is started,

and then decrease significantly after that.

Which factor affecting reaction rates is

responsible for this phenomenon?

A presence of a catalyst

B temperature

C concentration of reactants

D surface area

Question

Chase Chang

Chemistry

17 January, 19:26

In an automobile's catalytic converter,

several reactions occur to reduce the amount

of carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide, and

unburned hydrocarbon pollutants that are

released in the exhaust gases. The exhaust

gases pass over a ceramic honeycombed

structure with a large surface area plated with

the catalysts platinum, rhodium, and

palladium before they leave the tail-pipe. In

spite of these safeguards, however, studies

have shown that most of the pollutants

released from a car happen during the first

one to two minutes after the car is started,

and then decrease significantly after that.

Which factor affecting reaction rates is

responsible for this phenomenon?

A presence of a catalyst

B temperature

C concentration of reactants

D surface area

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Farmer · Answer 1

The most of the pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons) are released from the car during the first one to two minutes after the car is started, and then decrease significantly after that, due to increasing the temperature which supply the system by heat that required to oxidize the released gases by increasing the rate of the chemical reaction.

Then, the correct answer is the temperature (B).