An industrial chemist is investigating the rate of hydrogen gas production for a portable fuel cell. They compare the reaction of a fixed mass of magnesium ribbon with dilute sulfuric acid against the reaction of the same mass of magnesium powder with the same volume and concentration of dilute sulfuric acid under identical temperature and pressure conditions.
Explain, in terms of collision theory, the effect on the rate of reaction of using magnesium powder instead of magnesium ribbon.
