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In a general second-order chemical reaction, chemicals \(A\) and \(B\) (the reactants) combine to form chemical \(C\) (the product). If the initial concentrations of the reactants \(A\) and \(B\) are \(a\) and \(b,\) respectively, then the concentration \(x(t)\) of the product satisfies the equation \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-x(t)][b-x(t)] .\) What is the rate of change of the product when \(x(t)=a\) ? At this value, is the concentration of the product increasing, decreasing or staying the same? Assuming that \(a

Short Answer

Expert verified
The rate of change of the product is zero when \(x(t)=a\), implying the concentration stays constant at this point. Further, given conditions \(a<b\) and absence of product at start of the reaction, the maximum concentration of the product is \(x(t)=a\).

Step by step solution

01

Interpret the Differential Equation

We are given the differential equation \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-x(t)][b-x(t)]\). This represents the rate of change of the product \(C\) with respect to time. When \(x(t)=a\), the rate of change of the product \(C\) becomes \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-a][b-a]=0\).
02

Analyze the Rate of Change

Since the derivative \(x^{\prime}(t)\) is zero when \(x(t)=a\), this signifies that there is no change in concentration at \(x(t)=a\). That's because a zero rate of change implies the function is neither increasing nor decreasing at that particular point. Hence, the concentration of the product remains constant when \(x(t)=a\).
03

Find the Maximum Concentration of Product

Given that \(a<b\) and there is no product present when the reaction starts, the maximum concentration \(x(t)\) that can be achieved is \(a\). This is because \(a\) represents the initial concentration of the reactant \(A\), and since this reaction is second-order, the reactants \(A\) and \(B\) are consumed at the same rate. Therefore, once all of \(A\) has been used up (and turned into the product \(C\)), the product production will stop, hence why the maximum concentration of \(C\) is \(a\).

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Second-Order Reaction
A second-order reaction often involves two reactant molecules coming together to form a product. In general, this reaction can be simplified to a scenario where reactants \(A\) and \(B\) interact to produce a product \(C\). The rate at which the reaction proceeds depends on the concentration of both reactants.

In our case, the differential equation given is \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-x(t)][b-x(t)]\). It tells us how the concentration of product \(C\) changes over time. The equation shows that the rate of change \(x^{\prime}(t)\) is influenced by how much of \(A\) and \(B\) has already reacted to form \(C\).
  • If both \(A\) and \(B\) are completely consumed, the reaction stops, and the concentration of \(C\) remains constant.
  • Second-order reactions ensure that both reactants have equal opportunity to participate in the reaction, which indicates a dependency on both initial concentrations \(a\) and \(b\).
Differential Equations in Chemistry
Differential equations are vital tools in chemistry, especially when modeling how concentrations of substances change over time. In the context of the given equation, \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-x(t)][b-x(t)]\), it describes the rate at which the product \(C\) forms from reactants \(A\) and \(B\).

These equations are important because they enable chemists to predict how quickly a reaction will proceed, and they help identify points of interest in a reaction, like when it reaches equilibrium. In our example, when \(x(t) = a\), the derivative \(x^{\prime}(t) = 0\). This means that at this point, no further product is being formed.
  • The concentration metric described by the differential equation is dynamic, changing as reactants convert to products.
  • Differential equations help elucidate the point at which all reactants have been used up, indicating a maximum product concentration.
Reaction Rate Analysis
Analyzing reaction rates is a fundamental aspect of understanding chemical kinetics. The rate of a chemical reaction reveals how quickly or slowly a product is formed from reactants.

In our case, we are given the rate of change of product \(C\) as \(x^{\prime}(t)=[a-x(t)][b-x(t)]\). When \(x(t) = a\), the rate is zero since \(x^{\prime}(t) = [a-a][b-a] = 0\), meaning the formation of the product has stopped.
  • Conducting a rate analysis helps determine the point at which the concentration reaches its maximum; in this example, it's when \(x(t) = a\).
  • Understanding reaction rates allows for a deeper insight into the efficiency and speed of a reaction, which is critical in industrial and laboratory settings.

By knowing the reaction rate, chemists can adjust conditions such as temperature and pressure to optimize the speed and yield of product formation.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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