Hydrochloric acid reacts faster with powdered zinc than with an equal mass of zinc strips because the greater the surface area of the powdered zinc

decreases the frequency of particle collisions

No it increases the frequency

FALSE

Explanation:

The greater the surface area of the Zinc, the higher the number of collisions between the hydrochrolic acid molecules and those of Zinc. Remember the smaller the size of a particle/material the higher its surface are to volume ratio. Grinding Zn into powder increases the surface area for the HCl to act on the Zn and hence increases the rate of reaction.