Chemical reactions rate &

Activation Energy

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 Reaction Rate
Chemical reaction:
Reaction rate is defined by:

the amounts of a reactant reacted

per unit time (e.g. mol/s)
or
the amount of a product formed
per unit time, (e.g. kmol/hr)

For any chemical reaction it is important to know :

How a Reaction Happens?
How Fast Does the Reaction Go? 2
 Reaction Rate
Factors that influence the reaction rate: A+B C +D

Providing Activation Energy ( the most important factor)

What is Activation Energy?

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A reminder about the Reaction profile:
energy barrier A+B C +D

Ea
Activation energy?
Ep Arrhenius: The minimum energy which must be
available to a chemical system with potential
reactants, to result in a chemical reaction.

Ea
?

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 Reaction Rate
How to affect Activation Energy ( and reaction rate)?

Collision Theory
In order to react, reacting molecules other (Collisions)
Reactants must hit each other to react.

Only those collisions having are effective in bringing

about a reaction activation energy

Anything that affects these factors, will affect the reaction rate.

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 Reaction Rate A+B C +D
Factors that influence the reaction rate:

are the factors that affect Activation Energy:

1) Concentrations of reactants (always?)

2) Catalyst
3) Temperature
4) Surface area of solid reactants or catalyst

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 Factors affecting reaction rate
1) Concentrations of reactants A+B C +D

Reaction rates [reactants] : example: v =f([A]n, [B]m,)

concentration => collision => reaction rate (always?)

The definition of Reaction rate: changes in the concentration of a

product or a reactant per unit time.
Slope

[]

t1 t2 time
Reaction rate
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 Factors affecting reaction rate
Reaction rate is the instantaneous speed (not the average speed)
Slope 1
Slope 2

[]

t1 t2 time
Reaction rate
Reaction rate
Then:
rate = f([A]n) => dA [ A]n => dA k[ A]n
dt dt
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 Factors affecting reaction rate A+B C +D
Rate orders & the reactants concentration :
d[ A] k[ A]n Rate d A
dt dt

Zero order: n = 0 , [A]0 =1 d[ A] k rate = ?

dt

[A] = [A]o k t

Concentration
rate

[A] time

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 Factors affecting reaction rate A+B C +D
Reaction rate and the reactants concentrations
d[ A] k[ A]n Rate d A
dt dt

First order: n = 1 , [A]1 d[ A] k[ A] rate = ?

dt

[A] = [A]o e k t
rate = k [A]
or
ln [A] = ln [A]o k t

Concentration
rate

[A]
time

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 Factors affecting reaction rate A+B C +D
Reaction rate & the reactants concentration
d[ A] k[ A]n Rate d A
dt dt

Second order: n = 2 , [A]2 d[ A] k[ A]2 rate = ?

dt

1 1
kt
A A0

Concentration
rate
rate = k [A]2

[A]
time

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 Half life & k of First Order
Decomposition
The time required for half of A to decompose is called half life t1/2.
Since [A] = [A]o e k t or ln [A] = ln [A]o k t
When t = t1/2, [A] = [A]o
Thus : you can calculate half life if you have the rate.

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 Factors affecting reaction rate A+B C +D
2) Temperature
Arrhenius equation:
Dependency of the Reaction rate constant (k) on T

Remember these equations!

A: Arrhenius constant
R : gas constant 8.31 J /(mol . K ) will be given in the exam
K: rate constant

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 Factors affecting reaction rate A+B C +D
2) Temperature (continued)
Two point form of Arrhenius equation
(If there is a limited amount of data, the two-point form of the Arrhenius equation can be used)

Ink1 = - Ea/RT1 + InA _____ (1)

Ink2 = - Ea/RT2 + InA _____ (2)

Subtract (2) from (1) then:

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