Chapter 14: Problem 8
A reaction has the experimental rate equation Rate \(=k[\mathrm{A}]^{2} .\) How will the rate change if the concentration of A is tripled? If the concentration of A is halved?
Short Answer
Expert verified
Tripling [A] increases the rate by 9 times; halving [A] decreases the rate by 4 times.
Step by step solution
01
Understand the Rate Equation
The given rate equation is \(\text{Rate} = k[A]^2\), where \(k\) is the rate constant, and \([A]\) is the concentration of \(\text{A}\). This tells us how the reaction rate depends on the concentration of \(\text{A}\).
02
Rate Change When Concentration is Tripled
If the concentration of \(\text{A}\) is tripled, the new concentration, \([A']\), is \(3[A]\). Substitute \([A']\) into the rate equation: \(\text{New Rate} = k(3[A])^2 = k \, 9[A]^2 = 9 \, \text{Rate}.\) Therefore, the rate of the reaction increases by a factor of 9.
03
Rate Change When Concentration is Halved
If the concentration of \(\text{A}\) is halved, the new concentration, \([A']\), is \([A]/2\). Substitute \([A'/2]\) into the rate equation: \(\text{New Rate} = k\left(\frac{[A]}{2}\right)^2 = k \, \frac{[A]^2}{4} = \frac{1}{4} \, \text{Rate}.\) Therefore, the rate of the reaction decreases by a factor of 4.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Rate Equation
In chemical kinetics, the rate equation is a mathematical expression that describes how the rate of a reaction changes with the concentration of reactants. It's like a recipe card that tells us exactly how the ingredients (reactants) combine to affect the final cooking time (reaction rate). Let's break it down with an example: for the reaction given in the exercise, the rate equation is \[\text{Rate} = k [\text{A}]^2\]This equation tells us a few things:
- The reaction rate is directly proportional to the square of the concentration of A. This means if you increase or decrease the concentration of A, the rate will change in a squared manner.
- \(k\) is the rate constant, which we’ll discuss later. It remains constant as long as the temperature does not change.
Concentration Effects
The concentration of a reactant can greatly influence the rate of a reaction. In the given rate equation, \[\text{Rate} = k [\text{A}]^2\]the concentration of A is the main factor affecting the rate. Let's see how does this effect show in two different scenarios:
- When A is Tripled: If the concentration of A is tripled, i.e., it becomes \(3[A]\), substitute it into the equation to get:\[\text{New Rate} = k (3[A])^2 = k \cdot 9[A]^2\]This means the reaction rate becomes 9 times quicker. The squaring in the rate equation makes the effects dramatic.
- When A is Halved: If the concentration of A is halved, i.e., it becomes \([A]/2\), substitute it into the equation to find:\[\text{New Rate} = k \left(\frac{[A]}{2}\right)^2 = k \cdot \frac{[A]^2}{4}\]Therefore, the rate is a quarter of the original rate or 4 times slower.
Reaction Rate
The reaction rate refers to how quickly a reaction occurs. It's like measuring how fast you are driving a car; speed varies with different conditions. Similarly, the reaction rate varies with changes in reactant concentrations as shown in the rate equation \[\text{Rate} = k [\text{A}]^2\]The factors that influence reaction rate include:
- Concentration of Reactants: As illustrated earlier, the rate depends on the concentration of reactant A.
- Temperature: Although not part of this specific exercise, increasing temperature generally increases reaction rates.
- Catalysts: These substances can speed up a reaction without being consumed.
Rate Constant
The rate constant, denoted as \(k\), is a crucial part of the rate equation \[\text{Rate} = k [\text{A}]^2\]It is a numerical value that quantifies the speed of a reaction under certain conditions, excluding the influence of concentrations.
- Nature: \(k\) remains constant for a given reaction at a fixed temperature. However, as temperature changes, \(k\) changes, because increased kinetic energy results in a faster reaction.
- Units: The units of \(k\) depend on the overall order of the reaction. In our case, with a second-order reaction, the units would be \(\text{M}^{-1}\,\text{s}^{-1}\), highlighting its dependency to normalize the concentration effect.