Reaction Kinetics Overview

Study Notes

Reaction Kinetics

Kinetics studies the rates of chemical reactions and the factors influencing them.
Rate of reaction is the change in concentration of a reactant or product per unit time.
Rate is typically expressed as mol/L·s (M/s)

Factors Affecting Reaction Rate

Temperature: Higher temperatures generally increase reaction rates. Higher temperatures provide more kinetic energy to reactant molecules, leading to more frequent and forceful collisions.
Concentration: Higher concentrations of reactants usually lead to faster reaction rates. Higher concentration increases the number of reactant molecules in a given volume, leading to more frequent collisions.
Surface area: For reactions involving solids, a larger surface area leads to a faster reaction rate. A greater surface area exposes more reactant molecules for collisions.
Presence of a catalyst: Catalysts increase reaction rates by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. They are not consumed in the reaction.
Pressure (for gaseous reactions): Higher pressure increases the concentration of gaseous reactants, thus increasing collision frequency, and generally leading to a faster reaction rate.

Reaction Mechanisms

A reaction mechanism is a step-by-step sequence of elementary reactions that describes the pathway by which reactants transform into products.
Elementary reactions are single molecular events, where molecules collide and rearrange to form products.
The overall reaction is the sum of all elementary reactions in the mechanism.
Rate-determining step: The slowest elementary step in a reaction mechanism determines the overall rate of the reaction.
Intermediates: Species that are formed in one step of a reaction mechanism and consumed in a subsequent step are called intermediates.

Rate Laws

The rate law expresses the relationship between the rate of a reaction and the concentration of reactants.
Rate = k[A]^m[B]^n
- k is the rate constant (a constant for a given temperature)
- [A] and [B] are the concentrations of reactants
- m and n are the reaction orders with respect to A and B (usually integers, but can be fractions)
The overall reaction order is the sum of the individual reaction orders.
- Zero order: rate is independent of reactant concentration
- First order: rate is directly proportional to the concentration of one reactant
- Second order: rate is proportional to the square of the concentration of one reactant, or the product of the concentration of two reactants.

Integrated Rate Laws

These equations describe how reactant concentrations change over time.
Different integrated rate laws exist for different reaction orders.
For a first-order reaction, the integrated rate law is: ln([A]t) = -kt + ln([A]0), where [A]t is the concentration of A at time t, [A]0 is the initial concentration of A, and k is the rate constant.
For a second-order reaction, the integrated rate law is: 1/[A]t = kt + 1/[A]0.

Determining Reaction Order

Initial rates method: Measures the initial rates of the reaction at different initial concentrations of reactants.
Method of isolation: Holding the concentration of all but one reactant constant, and measure the effect of changing the concentration of that single reactant on the reaction rate.
Graphical methods: Plotting the concentration versus time (or ln concentration versus time, or 1/concentration versus time) to determine the order.

Catalysts

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the overall process.
Catalysts provide an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.
Catalysts do not affect the overall enthalpy change of the reaction or the equilibrium constant.
Enzymes are biological catalysts.

Reaction Mechanisms and Rate Laws

The mechanism dictates the overall rate law. The slowest step should match the rate law.
Reaction mechanisms can be complex. Determining the precise mechanism often requires considerable experimental data.
Mechanisms can involve multiple steps, some reversible.

Description

Explore the principles of reaction kinetics, focusing on the rates of chemical reactions and the factors that influence them. This quiz covers key concepts such as temperature, concentration, surface area, and the role of catalysts in enhancing reaction rates.