If there is a greater surface area of a solid reactant, will the rate of reaction be higher or lower?

The rate of reaction will be higher if there is a greater surface area of a solid reactant. Here's why:

1. The rate of a chemical reaction is affected by the physical state of the reactants and the surface area. If one of the reactants is a solid, the reaction can only take place at the surface. If more surface area of the solid is exposed, there will be more space for the reaction to occur.

2. When the surface area of the solid reactant is increased, more particles are exposed to the other reactant. This means there is a higher probability of particles colliding and reacting with each other.

3. These additional collisions increase the rate of reaction because the reaction depends on collisions between reactant particles. The more collisions there are, the faster the reaction.

4. This is why grinding solid reactants into powder, which greatly increases their surface area, often makes the reaction happen faster.

So, in conclusion, a greater surface area of a solid reactant generally leads to a higher rate of reaction.