Q1E What is the difference between a... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 12: Q1E (page 701)

What is the difference between average rate, initial rate, and instantaneous rate?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The main difference between the average rate, initial rate, and instantaneous rate is the amount of concentration and time taken. For average rate, change of concentration for a period is considered, whereas initial and instantaneous rates are for a particular time. The initial rate is the rate at the very beginning of the reaction, whereas instantaneous could be for any particular time at which the reaction is occurring.

Step by step solution

Understand the term rate

Rate is defined as the change in the concentration of reactant or product per unit of time and is given by the following formula:

\({\bf{Rate of reaction = }}\frac{{{\bf{Change in concentration of reactant or product}}}}{{{\bf{Time}}\,{\bf{taken}}}}\)

Understand the term average rate

The rate of a chemical reaction is a ratio of change of the concentration at any given time period over the time when the change has occurred.

Understand the term initial rate

The rate of a chemical reaction at the very beginning is known as the initial rate.

Understand the term instantaneous rate

The rate of a chemical reaction at any given instant of time is called the instantaneous rate of that particular time.

Determine the difference between average, initial, and instantaneous rates.

The main difference between the average, initial, and instantaneous rate is the amount of concentration taken and the time period for which change has occurred.