plumiThe Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution and temperature: Edexcel International A Level Chemistry questions
Edexcel International A Level Chemistry past-paper questions on 9.A.3 The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution and temperature, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 25 questions on The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution and temperature, as a list
- June 2025, AS Unit 2, Q10 (1 mark): Which change increases the proportion of particles in a reaction that have sufficient energy to react? A an increase in reaction temperature B a decrease in rea
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q17(d)(i) (1 mark): Draw a curve to represent the distribution at a higher temperature. (1) Fraction of particles with a specific energy Energy Ea
- January 2025, AS Unit 2, Q17(d)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why increasing the temperature increases the rate of reaction. (3)
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q1(a) (1 mark): What happens to the curve when the temperature is increased? (1) A the peak becomes higher and further to the right B the peak becomes higher and further to the
- October 2024, AS Unit 2, Q1(b) (1 mark): How does the diagram change if a catalyst is added? (1) A the activation energy moves to the right and the peak stays the same B the activation energy moves to
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q15(a) (1 mark): For Container 2, the temperature is increased. For which values would the energy value change? (1) A Ea only B Emode only C Emode and Emean only D Ea , Emode an
- June 2024, AS Unit 2, Q15(b) (1 mark): For Container 3, at the same temperature as Container 1, the pressure is lower. For which values would the number of particles at that value change? (1) A Ea on
- June 2024 (R), AS Unit 2, Q1(a) (1 mark): Which letter represents the mean energy of the molecules? (1) A letter P B letter Q C letter R D letter S
- June 2024 (R), AS Unit 2, Q1(b) (1 mark): What happens to the curve when the temperature is decreased? (1) A the peak becomes higher and further to the right B the peak becomes higher and further to the
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q13 (1 mark): Which statement best explains why the rate of a chemical reaction increases with increasing temperature? A the activation energy decreases B the number of colli
- January 2024, AS Unit 2, Q24(d) (4 marks): The industrial manufacture of ethanoic acid first used an iodine-based catalyst. Explain, with the aid of a labelled Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, how a catal
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q21(a)(i) (1 mark): On the diagram, sketch the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution for this reaction mixture at a higher temperature. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 2, Q21(a)(ii) (2 marks): Using the Maxwell–Boltzmann distributions, explain why increasing the temperature and adding a catalyst both increase the rate of reaction. (2)
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q17(a) (1 mark): Why does the distribution of energies start at the origin, (0,0)? (1) A some molecules have no energy B all molecules possess some energy C the temperature is 0
- January 2023, AS Unit 2, Q17(b) (1 mark): Some of the gas is removed and then the container is resealed and the gas is cooled. How does the new distribution of molecular energies compare to the original
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q17(a) (1 mark): Which statement is correct? (1) A position X represents the mean energy of the particles B activation energy, Ea , is the mean energy of the particles that reac
- October 2022, AS Unit 2, Q17(b) (1 mark): What happens to the distribution curve when the temperature of the gas is decreased? (1) Position of the peak Height of the peak A shifts to the right lower B s
- October 2022, Unit 4, Q16(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain why the rate constant for this reaction is higher at 623 K than at 523 K . (2)
- January 2022, AS Unit 2, Q24(f)(ii) (3 marks): Explain how a catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction. Use the Maxwell‑Boltzmann distribution shown and refer to the collision theory. (3) Number of
- October 2021, AS Unit 2, Q22(e)(ii) (4 marks): The rate of this reaction is increased by using a catalyst of phosphoric acid. Label the axes on the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution curve and use it to explain
- October 2021, Unit 4, Q2 (1 mark): What is the effect of increasing temperature on the average energy of the particles in a reaction and on the activation energy of the reaction? Effect on the Ef
- June 2021, AS Unit 2, Q4 (1 mark): The solid line on the graph below shows the Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution for an uncatalysed reaction. Ea is the activation energy of this reaction. X Number o
- January 2021, AS Unit 2, Q22(e) (2 marks): Explain, using the diagram, how a catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction. (2) Number of particles with energy, E Energy, E
- January 2020, AS Unit 2, Q18(c)(i) (3 marks): Draw on the axes the Maxwell−Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies of the reactant gases, showing on your diagram the activation energies for the catalys
- January 2020, Unit 4, Q18(c) (3 marks): Explain the trend in the value of the rate constant k as the temperature increases. (3)
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