Temperature Coefficient
The factor by which a reaction rate increases for a 10 °C rise in temperature.
Formula / equation
Q₁₀ = k(T+10) / k(T)
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
For many reactions near room temperature the coefficient lies between two and three, a rule of thumb that follows from typical activation energies of 50–60 kJ/mol. The effect comes almost entirely from the exponential term, since collision frequency changes only slightly.
Examples in the real world
Food spoils roughly twice as fast for every 10 °C rise, which is the basis of refrigeration.