The reaction mechanisms and kinetics of tertiary butylhydroquinone(TBHQ) as an antioxidant in soybean oil oxidation were studied. The oxidation reaction of soybean oil at 55, 60 and $65^{circ}C$ was a first order. The activation energies of soybean oil containing 0, 25, 50, and 75ppm TBHQ were 12.15, 6.05, 6.15 and 6.17kcal/mole. respectively. The addition of THQ to soybean oil containing 0, 25, 50, and 75ppm TBHQ were 1.88$ imes${TEX}$10^{7}${/TEX}, 4.10$ imes${TEX}$10^{2}${/TEX}, 4.32 $ imes${TEX}$10^{2}$p/TEX} and 3.97$ imes${TEX}$10^{2}${/TEX}, respectively. The decrease of frequency factor rather than the activation energy. The effects of antioxidants on the temperature dependecy of lipid oxidation could be effectively evaluated by measuring their effects on the activation energy of lipid oxidation.