Chemical Kinetics The area of chemistry that concerns reaction rates and reaction mechanisms.
Reaction Rate The change in concentration of a reactant or product per unit of time
Rate Laws Differential rate laws express (reveal) the relationship between the concentration of reactants and the rate of the reaction. Integrated rate laws express (reveal) the relationship between concentration of reactants and time The differential rate law is usually just called “the rate law.”
Determining Order with Concentration vs. Time data (the Integrated Rate Law) Zero Order: First Order: Second Order:
Solving an Integrated Rate Law Time (s) [H 2 O 2 ] (mol/L) Problem: Find the integrated rate law and the value for the rate constant, k A graphing calculator with linear regression analysis greatly simplifies this process!! (Click here to download my Rate Laws program for theTi-83 and Ti-84)
Time vs. [H 2 O 2 ] Time (s) [H 2 O 2 ] y = ax + b a = x b = r 2 = r = Regression results:
Time vs. ln[H 2 O 2 ] Time (s) ln[H 2 O 2 ] Regression results: y = ax + b a = x b = r 2 = r =
Time vs. 1/[H 2 O 2 ] Time (s) 1/[H 2 O 2 ] y = ax + b a = b = r 2 = r = Regression results:
And the winner is… Time vs. ln[H 2 O 2 ] 1. As a result, the reaction is 1 st order 2. The (differential) rate law is: 3. The integrated rate law is: 4. But…what is the rate constant, k ?
Finding the Rate Constant, k Method #1: Calculate the slope from the Time vs. ln[H 2 O 2 ] table. Time (s) ln[H 2 O 2 ] Now remember: k = -slope k = 8.32 x s -1
Finding the Rate Constant, k Method #2: Obtain k from the linear regresssion analysis. Now remember: k = -slope k = 8.35 x s -1 Regression results: y = ax + b a = x b = r 2 = r =
Rate Laws Summary Zero Order First Order Second Order Rate Law Rate = kRate = k[A]Rate = k[A] 2 Integrated Rate Law [A] = -kt + [A] 0 ln[A] = -kt + ln[A] 0 Plot the produces a straight line [A] versus tln[A] versus t Relationship of rate constant to slope of straight line Slope = -k Slope = k Half-Life