What is the impact of temperature on reaction rates in organic chemistry?

In organic chemistry, an increase in temperature typically leads to an increase in reaction rates. This phenomenon can be attributed to the kinetic energy of the molecules involved in the reaction. As temperature rises, molecules move faster due to the increased average kinetic energy. This increased speed results in a higher frequency of collisions between reactant molecules, which increases the likelihood of effective collisions that can lead to product formation.

Furthermore, according to the Arrhenius equation, the rate constant of a reaction increases exponentially with an increase in temperature. This means that not only do the molecules collide more frequently, but the energy of these collisions also increases, potentially overcoming the activation energy barrier required for the reaction to proceed.

While side products may sometimes increase with temperature due to competing side reactions or altered reaction pathways, the correct reflection of the relationship between temperature and reaction rates is that, in general, raising the temperature accelerates the reaction rate. Therefore, the choice indicating that increased temperature generally increases reaction rates accurately captures the essential principle of thermodynamics and kinetics in organic chemistry.