You may remember from high school or college chemistry that temperature affects the rate of chemical reactions. A reaction between two molecules can only occur if those two molecules collide with sufficient energy (collision theory). Heating causes molecules to gain energy, increasing their velocity (kinetic theory). A higher velocity increases the probability of two molecules . . . → Read More: ARCHIVE: 25 Things You Should Know About the Deep Sea: #13 Extreme Temperatures Affect Biological Rates