| > but how do researchers even figure out how to make these reactions happen? Especially when they require -100C, or +5atm of pressure. That part, at least in theory, is easy to understand. Chemical reactions are typically of the form: ingredients + energy -> products + byproducts If the energy is on the left-hand side, making the environment warm makes the reaction go faster. If energy comes out (so it's on the right-hand side), making it cooler is better. You also need to control the temperature to be in a range where both the ingredients and products can survive. As for the pressure, if the products and by-products have more total volume than the ingredients, low pressure is good. If it's the other way round, high pressure encourages the reaction. The more complicated part is that if multiple reactions can happen with the same ingredients, or if the products can do further, unwanted reactions. Then you have to balance out the parameters to encourage just the reaction you want, and to discourage all the others. |