Chapter 14 Chemical Kinetics. Kinetics Studies the rate at which a chemical process occurs. Besides information about the speed at which reactions

Chapter 14Chemical Kinetics

Kinetics Studies the rate at which a chemical

process occurs. Besides information about the speed at

which reactions occur, kinetics also sheds light on the reaction mechanism (exactly how the reaction occurs).

Factors That Affect Reaction Rates

Physical State of the Reactants In order to react, molecules must come in

contact with each other. The more homogeneous the mixture of

reactants, the faster the molecules can react.


Concentration of Reactants As the concentration of reactants increases,

so does the likelihood that reactant molecules will collide.


Temperature At higher temperatures, reactant

molecules have more kinetic energy, move faster, and collide more often and with greater energy.


Presence of a Catalyst Catalysts speed up reactions by changing the mechanism of the reaction. Catalysts are not consumed during the

course of the reaction.

Reaction Rates

Rates of reactions can be determined by monitoring the change in concentration of either reactants or products as a function of time.

Reaction Rates

In this reaction, the concentration of butyl chloride, C4H9Cl, was measured at various times.

C4H9Cl(aq) + H2O(l) C4H9OH(aq) + HCl(aq)

Reaction Rates

The average rate of the reaction over each interval is the change in concentration divided by the change in time:

Average rate =[C4H9Cl]

t


Reaction Rates

Note that the average rate decreases as the reaction proceeds.

This is because as the reaction goes forward, there are fewer collisions between reactant molecules.


Reaction Rates

A plot of concentration vs. time for this reaction yields a curve like this.

The slope of a line tangent to the curve at any point is the instantaneous rate at that time.


Reaction Rates

All reactions slow down over time.

Therefore, the best indicator of the rate of a reaction is the instantaneous rate near the beginning.


Reaction Rates and Stoichiometry

In this reaction, the ratio of C4H9Cl to C4H9OH is 1:1.

Thus, the rate of disappearance of C4H9Cl is the same as the rate of appearance of C4H9OH.


Rate =-[C4H9Cl]

t=

[C4H9OH]t


What if the ratio is not 1:1?

2 HI(g) H2(g) + I2(g)

•Therefore,

Rate = − 12

[HI]t

= [I2]t


To generalize, then, for the reaction

aA + bB cC + dD

Rate = −1a

[A]t

= −1b

[B]t

=1c

[C]t

1d

[D]t

=

Fig 14.3

Figure 14.3 Progress of a hypothetical reaction A B. Each red sphere represents 0.01 mol A, each blue sphere represents 0.01 mol B, and the vessel has a volume of 1.00 L. (a) At time zero the vessel contains 1.00 mol A (100 red spheres) and 0 mol B (no blue spheres). (b) After 20 s the vessel contains 0.54 mol A and 0.46 mol B. (c) After 40 s the vessel contains 0.30 mol A and 0.70 mol B.

From the data given in the caption of Figure 14.3, calculate the average rate at which A disappears over the time interval from 20 s to 40 s.

SolutionAnalyze: We are given the concentration of A at 20 s (0.54 M) and at 40 s (0.30 M) and asked to calculate the average rate of reaction over this time interval.Plan: The average rate is given by the change in concentration, [A], divided by the corresponding change in time, t.Because A is a reactant, a minus sign is used in the calculation to make the rate a positive quantity.Solve:

PRACTICE EXERCISEFor the reaction pictured in Figure 14.3, calculate the average rate of appearance of B over the time interval from 0 to 40 s. (The necessary data are given in the figure caption.)

Answer: 1.8 10 –2 M/s

Fig 14.4Figure 14.4 Concentration of butyl chloride (C4H9Cl) as a function of time. The dots represent the experimental data from the first two columns of Table 14.1, and the red curve is drawn to connect the data points smoothly. Lines are drawn that are tangent to the curve at t = 9 and t = 600 s. The slope of each tangent is defined as the vertical change divided by the horizontal change: [C4H9Cl]/t. The reaction rate at any time is related to the slope of the tangent to the curve at that time. Because C4H9Cl is disappearing, the rate is equal to the negative of the slope.

Using Figure 14.4, calculate the instantaneous rate of disappearance of C4H9Cl at t = 0 (the initial rate).

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.2 Calculating an Instantaneous Rate of Reaction

PRACTICE EXERCISEUsing Figure 14.4, determine the instantaneous rate of disappearance of C4H9Cl at t = 300 s.

Answer: 1.1 10 –4 M/s

SolutionAnalyze: We are asked to determine an instantaneous rate from a graph of concentration versus time.Plan: To obtain the instantaneous rate at t = 0 we must determine the slope of the curve at t = 0. The tangent is drawn on the graph. The slope of this straight line equals the change in the vertical axis divided by the corresponding change in the horizontal axis (that is, change in molarity over change in time).Solve: The straight line falls from [C4H9Cl] = 0.100 M to 0.060 M in the time change from 0 s to 200 s, as indicated by the tan triangle shown in Figure 14.4. Thus, the initial rate is

(b) If the rate at which O2 appears, [O2]/t, is 6.0 10–5 M/s at a particular instant, at what rate is O3 disappearing at this same time, –[O3]/t?

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.3 Relating Rates at Which Products Appear and Reactants Disappear

(a) How is the rate at which ozone disappears related to the rate at which oxygen appears in the reaction

PRACTICE EXERCISEThe decomposition of N2O5 proceeds according to the following equation:

If the rate of decomposition of N2O5 at a particular instant in a reaction vessel is 4.2 10–7 M/s, what is the rate of appearance of (a) NO2, (b) O2?

Concentration and RateOne can gain information about the rate of a reaction by seeing how the rate changes with changes in concentration.

Concentration and Rate

Comparing Experiments 1 and 2, when [NH4

+] doubles, the initial rate doubles.

NH4+(aq) + NO2

−(aq) N2(g) + 2 H2O(l)


Likewise, comparing Experiments 5 and 6, when [NO2

−] doubles, the initial rate doubles.

NH4+(aq) + NO2

−(aq) N2(g) + 2 H2O(l)


This meansRate [NH4

+]

Rate [NO2−]

Rate [NH+] [NO2−]

or

Rate = k [NH4+] [NO2

−] This equation is called the rate law, and

k is the rate constant.

Rate Laws

A rate law shows the relationship between the reaction rate and the concentrations of reactants.

The exponents tell the order of the reaction with respect to each reactant.

This reaction is :First-order in [NH4

+]

First-order in [NO2−]

NH4+(aq) + NO2

−(aq) N2(g) + 2 H2O(l)

Rate Laws The overall reaction order can be found

by adding the exponents on the reactants in the rate law.

This reaction is second-order overall.

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.4 Relating a Rate Law to the Effect of Concentration on Rate

Consider a reaction for which rate = k[A][B]2. Each of the following boxes represents a reaction mixture in which A is shown as red spheres and B as purple ones. Rank these mixtures in order of increasing rate of reaction.

PRACTICE EXERCISEAssuming that rate = k[A][B], rank the mixtures represented in this Sample Exercise in order of increasing rate.

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.5 Determining Reaction Orders and Units for Rate Constants

(a)What are the overall reaction orders for the rate laws described in Equations 14.9 and 14.10? (b) What are the units of the rate constant for the rate law for Equation 14.9?

14.9 2N2O5 4 NO2 + O2 Rate = k [N2O5]

14.10 CHCl3 + Cl2 CCl4 + HCl Rate = k[CHCl3] [Cl2].5

PRACTICE EXERCISE 14.11

H2 + I2 2 HI Rate = k [H2] [I2]

(a) What is the reaction order of the reactant H2 in Equation 14.11? (b) What are the units of the rate constant for Equation 14.11?

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.6 Determining a Rate Law from Initial Rate Data

The initial rate of a reaction was measured for several different starting concentrations of A and B, and the results are as follows:

Using these data, determine (a) the rate law for the reaction, (b) the magnitude of the rate constant, (c) the rate of the reaction when [A] = 0.050 M and [B] = 0.100 M.

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.6 continued

PRACTICE EXERCISEThe following data were measured for the reaction of nitric oxide with hydrogen:

(a) Determine the rate law for this reaction. (b) Calculate the rate constant. (c) Calculate the rate when [NO] = 0.050 M and [H2] = 0.150 M.

First-Order Processes

Therefore, if a reaction is first-order, a plot of ln [A] vs. t will yield a straight line, and the slope of the line will be -k.

ln [A]t = -kt + ln [A]0


Consider the process in which methyl isonitrile is converted to acetonitrile.

CH3NC CH3CN


This data was collected for this reaction at 198.9°C.

CH3NC CH3CN


When ln P is plotted as a function of time, a straight line results.

Therefore, The process is first-order. k is the negative slope: 5.1 10-5 s−1.

Second-Order ProcessesSimilarly, integrating the rate law for a process that is second-order in reactant A, we get

1[A]t

= kt +1

[A]0also in the form

y = mx + b

Second-Order Processes

So if a process is second-order in A, a plot of 1/[A] vs. t will yield a straight line, and the slope of that line is k.

1[A]t

= kt +1

[A]0


Time (s) [NO2], M

0.0 0.01000

50.0 0.00787

100.0 0.00649

200.0 0.00481

300.0 0.00380

The decomposition of NO2 at 300°C is described by the equation

NO2 (g) NO (g) + 1/2 O2 (g)

and yields data comparable to this:


Time (s) [NO2], M ln [NO2]

0.0 0.01000 −4.610

50.0 0.00787 −4.845

100.0 0.00649 −5.038

200.0 0.00481 −5.337

300.0 0.00380 −5.573

• Graphing ln [NO2] vs. t yields:

• The plot is not a straight line, so the process is not first-order in [A].


Time (s) [NO2], M 1/[NO2]

0.0 0.01000 100

50.0 0.00787 127

100.0 0.00649 154

200.0 0.00481 208

300.0 0.00380 263

• Graphing ln 1/[NO2] vs. t, however, gives this plot.

• Because this is a straight line, the process is second-order in [A].

Fig 14.4Figure 14.4 Concentration of butyl chloride (C4H9Cl) as a function of time. The dots represent the experimental data from the first two columns of Table 14.1, and the red curve is drawn to connect the data points smoothly. Lines are drawn that are tangent to the curve at t = 9 and t = 600 s. The slope of each tangent is defined as the vertical change divided by the horizontal change: [C4H9Cl]/t. The reaction rate at any time is related to the slope of the tangent to the curve at that time. Because C4H9Cl is disappearing, the rate is equal to the negative of the slope.

Using Figure 14.4, calculate the instantaneous rate of disappearance of C4H9Cl at t = 0 (the initial rate).

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.7 Using the Integrated First-Order Rate Law

The decomposition of a certain insecticide in water follows first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 1.45 yr –1

at 12°C. A quantity of this insecticide is washed into a lake on June 1, leading to a concentration of 5.0 10–7 g/cm3. Assume that the average temperature of the lake is 12°C. (a) What is the concentration of the insecticide on June 1 of the following year? (b) How long will it take for the concentration of the insecticide to drop to 3.0 10–7 g/cm3?

PRACTICE EXERCISEThe decomposition of dimethyl ether, (CH3)2O, at 510°C is a first-order process with a rate constant of

6.8 10–4s–1:

If the initial pressure of (CH3)2O is 135 torr, what is its partial pressure after 1420 s?

Is the reaction first or second order in NO2?

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.8 Determining Reaction Order from the Integrated Rate Law

The following data were obtained for the gas-phase decomposition of nitrogen dioxide at 300°C,

PRACTICE EXERCISEConsider again the decomposition of NO2 discussed in the Sample Exercise. The reaction is second order in NO2 with k = 0.543 M–1s–1. If the initial concentration of NO2 in a closed vessel is 0.0500 M, what is the remaining concentration after 0.500 h?

Answer: Using Equation 14.14, we find [NO2] = 1.00 10–3 M

As Figure 14.8 shows, only the plot of 1/[NO2] versus time is linear. Thus, the reaction obeys a second-order rate law: Rate = k[NO2]2. From the slope of this straight-line graph, we determine that k = 0.543 M–1 s–1 for the disappearance of NO2.


Figure 14.8 Kinetic data for decomposition of NO2. The reaction is NO2(g) NO(g)+ 1/2O2(g), and the data were collected at 300°C. (a) A plot of [NO2] versus time is not linear, indicating that the reaction is not first order in NO2. (b) A plot of 1/[NO2] versus time is linear, indicating that the reaction is second order in NO2.

Half-Life

Half-life is defined as the time required for one-half of a reactant to react.

Because [A] at t1/2 is one-half of the original [A], [A]t = 0.5 [A]0.

Half-LifeFor a first-order process, this becomes

0.5 [A]0

[A]0

ln = −kt1/2

ln 0.5 = −kt1/2

−0.693 = −kt1/2

= t1/2

0.693kNOTE: For a first-order

process, the half-life does not depend on [A]0.

Half-LifeFor a second-order process,

10.5 [A]0

= kt1/2 + 1

[A]0

2[A]0

= kt1/2 + 1

[A]0

2 − 1[A]0

= kt1/2

1[A]0

=

= t1/2

1k[A]0

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.9 Determining the Half-life of a First-Order Reaction

The reaction of C4H9Cl with water is a first-order reaction. Figure 14.4 shows how the concentration of C4H9Cl changes with time at a particular temperature. (a) From that graph, estimate the half-life for this reaction. (b) Use the half-life from (a) to calculate the rate constant.

PRACTICE EXERCISE(a) Using Equation 14.15, calculate t1/2 for the decomposition of the insecticide described in Sample Exercise 14.7. (b) How long does it take for the concentration of the insecticide to reach one-quarter of the initial value?

Temperature and Rate

Generally, as temperature increases, so does the reaction rate.

This is because k is temperature dependent.

The Collision Model In a chemical reaction, bonds are broken

and new bonds are formed. Molecules can only react if they collide

with each other.

The Collision Model

Furthermore, molecules must collide with the correct orientation and with enough energy to cause bond breakage and formation.

Activation Energy In other words, there is a minimum amount of

energy required for reaction: the activation energy, Ea.

Just as a ball cannot get over a hill if it does not roll up the hill with enough energy, a reaction cannot occur unless the molecules possess sufficient energy to get over the activation energy barrier.

Reaction Coordinate Diagrams

It is helpful to visualize energy changes throughout a process on a reaction coordinate diagram like this one for the rearrangement of methyl isonitrile.

Reaction Coordinate Diagrams It shows the energy

of the reactants and products (and, therefore, E).

The high point on the diagram is the transition state.

• The species present at the transition state is called the activated complex.

• The energy gap between the reactants and the activated complex is the activation energy barrier.

Maxwell–Boltzmann Distributions

Temperature is defined as a measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a sample.

• At any temperature there is a wide distribution of kinetic energies.

Maxwell–Boltzmann Distributions

As the temperature increases, the curve flattens and broadens.

Thus at higher temperatures, a larger population of molecules has higher energy.

Maxwell–Boltzmann Distributions If the dotted line represents the activation

energy, as the temperature increases, so does the fraction of molecules that can overcome the activation energy barrier.

• As a result, the reaction rate increases.

Maxwell–Boltzmann DistributionsThis fraction of molecules can be found

through the expression

where R is the gas constant and T is the Kelvin temperature.

f = e−Ea/RT

Solution The lower the activation energy, the faster the reaction. The value of does not affect the rate. Hence the order is (2) < (3) < (1).

PRACTICE EXERCISEImagine that these reactions are reversed. Rank these reverse reactions from slowest to fastest.

Answer: (2) < (1) < (3) because Ea values are 40, 25, and 15 kJ/mol, respectively

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.10 Relating Energy Profiles to Activation Energies and Speeds of Reaction

Consider a series of reactions having the following energy profiles:

Assuming that all three reactions have nearly the same frequency factors, rank the reactions from slowest to fastest.

Arrhenius Equation

Svante Arrhenius developed a mathematical relationship between k and Ea:

k = A e−Ea/RT

where A is the frequency factor, a number that represents the likelihood that collisions would occur with the proper orientation for reaction.

Arrhenius Equation

Taking the natural logarithm of both sides, the equation becomes

ln k = -Ea ( ) + ln A

1RT

y = mx + b

Therefore, if k is determined experimentally at several temperatures, Ea can be calculated from the slope of a plot of ln k vs. 1/T.

SolutionAnalyze: We are given rate constants, k, measured at several temperatures and asked to determine the activation energy, Ea, and the rate constant, k, at a particular temperature.

Plan: We can obtain Ea from the slope of a graph of ln k versus 1/T. Once we know Ea, we can use Equation 4.21 together with the given rate data to calculate the rate constant at 430.0 K.

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.11 Determining the Energy of Activation

The following table shows the rate constants for the rearrangement of methyl isonitrile at various temperatures (these are the data in Figure 14.12):

(a) From these data, calculate the activation energy for the reaction. (b) What is the value of the rate constant at 430.0 K?


Solve: (a) We must first convert the temperatures from degrees Celsius to kelvins. We then take the inverse of each temperature, 1/T, and the natural log of each rate constant, ln k. This gives us the table shown at the right:

A graph of ln k versus 1/T results in a straight line, as shown in Figure 14.17.

Figure 14.17 Graphical determination of activation energy. The natural logarithm of the rate constant for the rearrangement of methyl isonitrile is plotted as a function of 1/T. The linear relationship is predicted by the Arrhenius equation giving a slope equal to – Ea/R.

We report the activation energy to only two significant figures because we are limited by the precision with which we can read the graph in Figure 14.17.


The slope of the line is obtained by choosing two well-separated points, as shown, and using the coordinates of each:

Because logarithms have no units, the numerator in this equation is dimensionless. The denominator has the units of 1/T, namely, K–1. Thus, the overall units for the slope are K. The slope equals –Ea/R. We use the value for the molar gas constant R in units of J/mol-K (Table 10.2). We thus obtain

(b) To determine the rate constant, k1, at T = 430.0 K, we can use Equation 14.21 with Ea = 160 kJ/ mol, and one of the rate constants and temperatures from the given data, such as k2 = 2.52 10–5s–1 and T2 = 462.9

PRACTICE EXERCISEUsing the data in Sample Exercise 14.11,(slide 68) calculate the rate constant for the rearrangement of methyl isonitrile at 280°C.


Thus,

Note that the units of k1 are the same as those of k2.

Reaction MechanismsThe sequence of events that describes the actual process by which reactants become products is called the reaction mechanism.

Reaction Mechanisms Reactions may occur all at once or

through several discrete steps. Each of these processes is known as an

elementary reaction or elementary process.

Reaction Mechanisms

The molecularity of a process tells how many molecules are involved in the process.

Multistep Mechanisms

In a multistep process, one of the steps will be slower than all others.

The overall reaction cannot occur faster than this slowest, rate-determining step.

Slow Initial Step

The rate law for this reaction is found experimentally to be

Rate = k [NO2]2

CO is necessary for this reaction to occur, but the rate of the reaction does not depend on its concentration.

This suggests the reaction occurs in two steps.

NO2 (g) + CO (g) NO (g) + CO2 (g)

Slow Initial StepA proposed mechanism for this reaction is

Step 1: NO2 + NO2 NO3 + NO (slow)

Step 2: NO3 + CO NO2 + CO2 (fast)

The NO3 intermediate is consumed in the second step.

As CO is not involved in the slow, rate-determining step, it does not appear in the rate law.

Fast Initial Step

The rate law for this reaction is found to beRate = k [NO]2 [Br2]

Because termolecular processes are rare, this rate law suggests a two-step mechanism.

2 NO (g) + Br2 (g) 2 NOBr (g)

Fast Initial Step A proposed mechanism is

Step 2: NOBr2 + NO 2 NOBr (slow)

Step 1 includes the forward and reverse reactions.

Step 1: NO + Br2 NOBr2 (fast)

Fast Initial Step The rate of the overall reaction depends

upon the rate of the slow step. The rate law for that step would be

Rate = k2 [NOBr2] [NO]

But how can we find [NOBr2]?

Fast Initial Step NOBr2 can react two ways:

With NO to form NOBr By decomposition to reform NO and Br2

The reactants and products of the first step are in equilibrium with each other.

Therefore,Ratef = Rater

Fast Initial Step Because Ratef = Rater ,

k1 [NO] [Br2] = k−1 [NOBr2]

Solving for [NOBr2] gives us

k1

k−1

[NO] [Br2] = [NOBr2]

Fast Initial StepSubstituting this expression for [NOBr2] in the rate law for the rate-determining step gives

k2k1

k−1

Rate = [NO] [Br2] [NO]

= k [NO]2 [Br2]

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.12 Determining Molecularity and Identifying Intermediates

It has been proposed that the conversion of ozone into O2 proceeds by a two-step mechanism:

(a) Describe the molecularity of each elementary reaction in this mechanism. (b) Write the equation for the overall reaction. (c) Identify the intermediate(s).

(a) Is the proposed mechanism consistent with the equation for the overall reaction? (b) What is the molecularity of each step of the mechanism? (c) Identify the intermediate(s).

PRACTICE EXERCISEFor the reaction

the proposed mechanism is

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.13 Predicting the Rate Law for an Elementary Reaction

If the following reaction occurs in a single elementary reaction, predict the rate law:

PRACTICE EXERCISEConsider the following reaction: (a) Write the rate law for the reaction, assuming it involves a single elementary reaction. (b) Is a single-step mechanism likely for this reaction?

(a) Write the equation for the overall reaction. (b) Write the rate law for the overall reaction.

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.14 Determining the Rate Law for a Multistep Mechanism

The decomposition of nitrous oxide, N2O, is believed to occur by a two-step mechanism:

The experimental rate law is rate = k[O3][NO2]. What can you say about the relative rates of the two steps of the mechanism?


PRACTICE EXERCISEOzone reacts with nitrogen dioxide to produce dinitrogen pentoxide and oxygen:

The reaction is believed to occur in two steps

SAMPLE EXERCISE 14.15 Deriving the Rate Law for a Mechanism with a Fast Initial Step

Show that the following mechanism for Equation 14.24 also produces a rate law consistent with the experimentally observed one:

What is the expression relating the concentration of Br(g) to that of Br2(g)?

PRACTICE EXERCISEThe first step of a mechanism involving the reaction of bromine is

CatalystsCatalysts increase the rate of a reaction

by decreasing the activation energy of the reaction.

Catalysts change the mechanism by which the process occurs.

Catalysts

One way a catalyst can speed up a reaction is by holding the reactants together and helping bonds to break.

EnzymesEnzymes are

catalysts in biological systems.

The substrate fits into the active site of the enzyme much like a key fits into a lock.

The decomposition reaction is determined to be first order. A graph of the partial pressure of HCOOH versus time for decomposition at 838 K is shown as the red curve in Figure 14.28. When a small amount of solid ZnO is added to the reaction chamber, the partial pressure of acid versus time varies as shown by the blue curve in Figure 14.28.

SAMPLE INTEGRATIVE EXERCISE Putting Concepts Together

Formic acid (HCOOH) decomposes in the gas phase at elevated temperatures as follows:

(a) Estimate the half-life and first-order rate constant for formic acid decomposition.(b) What can you conclude from the effect of added ZnO on the decomposition of formic acid?

Figure 14.28 Variation in pressure of HCOOH(g) as a function of time at 838 K. The red line corresponds to decomposition when only gaseous HCOOH is present. The blue line corresponds to decomposition in the presence of added ZnO(s).

Solution (a) The initial pressure of HCOOH is 3.00 102 torr. On the graph we move to the level at which the partial pressure of HCOOH is 150 torr, half the initial value. This corresponds to a time of about6.60 x 102s, which is therefore the half-life. The first-order rate constant is given by Equation 14.15: k = 0.693/t1/2 = 0.693/660 s = 1.05 10–3 s–1.

(c) The progress of the reaction was followed by measuring the partial pressure of formic acid vapor at selected times. Suppose that, instead, we had plotted the concentration of formic acid in units of mol/L. What effect would this have had on the calculated value of k?

(d) The pressure of formic acid vapor at the start of the reaction is 3.00 10 2 torr. Assuming constant temperature and ideal-gas behavior, what is the pressure in the system at the end of the reaction? If the volume of the reaction chamber is 436 cm3, how many moles of gas occupy the reaction chamber at the end of the reaction?

(e) The standard heat of formation of formic acid vapor is Calculate Hº for the overall reaction. Assuming that the activation energy (Ea) for the reaction is 184 kJ/mol, sketch an approximate energy profile for the reaction, and label Ea, Hº, and the transition state.

SAMPLE INTEGRATIVE EXERCISE continued

(b) The reaction proceeds much more rapidly in the presence of solid ZnO, so the surface of the oxide must be acting as a catalyst for the decomposition of the acid. This is an example of heterogeneous catalysis.

(d) According to the stoichiometry of the reaction, two moles of product are formed for each mole of reactant. When reaction is completed, therefore, the pressure will be 600 torr, just twice the initial pressure, assuming ideal-gas behavior. (Because we are working at quite high temperature and fairly low gas pressure, assuming ideal-gas behavior is reasonable.) The number of moles of gas present can be calculated using the ideal-gas equation (Section 10.4):

(c) If we had graphed the concentration of formic acid in units of moles per liter, we would still have determined that the half-life for decomposition is 660 seconds, and we would have computed the same value for k. Because the units for k are s–1, the value for k is independent of the units used for concentration.

From this and the given value for Ea, we can draw an approximate energy profile for the reaction, in analogy to Figure 14.15.

SAMPLE INTEGRATIVE EXERCISE continued

(e) We first calculate the overall change in energy, Hº (Section 5.7 and Appendix C), as in

96

Documents

Chapter 14 Chemical Kinetics. Kinetics Studies the rate at which a chemical process occurs. Besides information about the speed at which reactions