Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution Pogil Answer Key Extension Questions May 2026

Mastery of these extension questions means a student truly understands the exponential relationship between temperature, activation energy, and rate—a concept that defines modern chemical kinetics.

No, the shape does not change.

| Extension Topic | Does M-B Curve Change? | What Changes the Rate? | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Increase Temperature | Yes (Flattens, shifts right) | Higher fraction > (E_a) | | Add Catalyst | No | (E_a) decreases (threshold moves left) | | Reduce Pressure/Vacuum | No | Total collisions decrease, but distribution shape same | | Heavier Isotope | Yes (Peak shifts left) | Lower average speed reduces collision frequency | Mastery of these extension questions means a student

The difference is small (only ~0.4% per step), yet uranium enrichment works. This is because the extension question highlights repetitive separation . After thousands of stages, the tiny M-B difference in the tail of the distribution allows significant enrichment. | What Changes the Rate