Answer to question 6

For the reaction

at 30C, k = 5.1 x 10
6
s
-1
, and the activation energy is
54.0 kJ/mol.
(a) What is the overall reaction order?
(b) What is the rate constant at 45 C?
(c) What is the activation energy for the reverse
reaction?
1
2 4(g) 2(g) 2
N O NO H 28.6 kJ A =
(a) From the unit of rate constant (k) that is s
-1
we can
tell that this reaction is first order.
Rate = k[N
2
O
4
]
Rate has a unit mol/L.s
[N
2
O
4
] has a unit mol/L
Therefore, k has a unit

1
mol / L.s
s
mol / L

=
(b) Use Arrhenius equation to find rate constant at
45C


a 2
1 1 2
E k 1 1
ln
k R T T
(
=
(

T
1
= 30C = 303 K k
1
= 5.1 x 10
6
s
-1
,
T
2
= 45C = 318 K k
2
= ?
Ea = 54.0 kJ/mol R = 8.314 J/mol.K

(b) Use Arrhenius equation to find rate constant at
45C


3
2
6
k 54.0 10 J / mol
ln
5.1 10

=
8.314 J / mol . K
1 1
K
303 318
(

(

2
6
k
ln 1.01
5.1 10
=

1.01
2
6
k
e 2.75
5.1 10
= =

6 7 1
2
k 2.75 5.1 10 1.40 10 s

= =
(c) What is the activation energy for the reverse
reaction?
This reaction is endothermic. We can draw an
energy diagram as follows:



N
2
O
4
NO
2
54.0 kJ

28.6 kJ

E
a
= ?

For the reverse reaction,
Ea = 54.0 28.6 kJ
= 25.4 kJ