What action reduces the risk of runaway reactions most effectively?

• A. Adequate cooling
• B. Increase heating
• C. Use inhibitors
• D. Seal without venting

Answer: (A)

When a reaction risks going runaway, the priority is to prevent heat from accumulating. Temperature strongly influences reaction rate; as heat is produced, a higher temperature makes the reaction go faster, generating even more heat in a positive feedback loop. Keeping the system cool by adequate cooling removes heat at a rate fast enough to balance or exceed what the reaction generates, preventing the temperature rise that drives the runaway.

This is the most reliable safeguard because it directly controls the driver of runaway behavior. Increasing heating would push the system toward runaway, not away from it. Inhibitors might slow the reaction, but they’re not a universally reliable or sufficient preventive measure and can fail or be consumed. Sealing without venting doesn’t address the heat issue and can create dangerous overpressure, making the situation worse rather than safer. Proper cooling, with reliable heat removal and monitoring, is the effective protection against runaway reactions.