Explanation:

The rate constant of a chemical reaction is a proportionality constant that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentration of its reactants. The rate constant is affected by various factors, including temperature. The Arrhenius equation describes the relationship between the rate constant and temperature:

k = A * e^(-Ea/RT)

where k is the rate constant, A is the pre-exponential factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin.

From the equation, it can be seen that the rate constant is directly proportional to the pre-exponential factor and the exponential term, which are both affected by temperature.

When the temperature is increased, the exponential term in the equation increases, leading to a higher rate constant. The pre-exponential factor also tends to increase with temperature, although the effect is usually small.

Answer:

The correct answer is option B, 10°C. This means that the rate constant of the reaction is nearly doubled when the temperature is increased by 10°C.

This is in line with the Arrhenius equation, which shows that the rate constant increases exponentially with temperature. A temperature increase of 10°C can cause a significant increase in the exponential term, leading to a doubling of the rate constant.

It is worth noting that the effect of temperature on the rate constant is not linear. The rate constant tends to increase rapidly with temperature, especially at higher temperatures where the exponential term dominates.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the rate constant of a chemical reaction is affected by temperature, and the Arrhenius equation describes this relationship. A temperature increase of 10°C can lead to a doubling of the rate constant, as seen in option B.