Since rate of reaction depends on the surface area of the reactants, lumps of sodium carbonate react more slowly with dilute nitric acid than powdered sodium carbonate.
The rate of reaction is affected by many factors among which is the surface area of the reactants. We must note that the greater the surface area the quicker the rate of reaction.
As such, the surface area of the powdered sodium carbonate is greater than that of the lumps of sodium carbonate. Therefore, lumps of sodium carbonate react more slowly with dilute nitric acid than powdered sodium carbonate. This is because the particles of the powdered sodium carbonate collide more easily with the acid molecules than the lumps of sodium carbonate.
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