What is one outcome of increasing the surface area of reactants in a chemical reaction?

Increasing the surface area of reactants in a chemical reaction leads to an increase in the rate of reaction. This occurs because a greater surface area allows more particles to be exposed and available for collisions. Since reactions happen when reactant particles collide with enough energy and the proper orientation, having a larger surface area enhances the likelihood of these effective collisions occurring.

For instance, if a solid reactant is powdered, its particles are more numerous and spread out than when it's in a single block form, facilitating a faster reaction rate. This principle is evident in various scenarios, such as the difference in reaction rates between whole and powdered substances.

A decrease in the rate of reaction would contradict the fundamental principles of collision theory, while stating that increasing surface area has no impact overlooks how concentration and surface exposure influence reaction kinetics. The notion of making a reaction irreversible is unrelated to surface area but instead pertains to factors like reaction conditions and energy barriers.