Chapter 1 : Rate of reaction

What is rate of reaction ?

Measures the speed at which reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction

Time taken for a fast reaction is short whereas time taken for short reaction is long

When a reaction occurs , the quantity of a reactant decrease with time and quantity of product increase
with time

Rate of reaction is defined as the change in a selected quantity during a reaction per unit time

Reaction between magnesium and diute sulphuric acid

Two changes is observed

Mass of magnesium ( the reactant ) decrease with time

Volume of hydrogen gas increase with time
Rate of reaction can be measured change in the mass of magnesium or the volume of hydrogen
gas

Rate of reaction can be measured in two ways :

a) average rate of reaction

b) rate of reaction at a given time

Factors affecting the rate of reaction

- Total surface area / particle size ( size smaller , total exposed surface area larger , rate increase)
- Concentration of a reactant ( conc increase , rate increase )
- Temperature
- Use of catalyst ( a substance use to increase the rate )
- Pressure of the reactants ( pressure increase , rate also increase )

Characteristic of catalyst

- Remains chemically uncanged

- Does not change the quantity of product
- Specific in its action
- Small amount of catalyst needed to achieve increase In rate
Exercise :
1. 1 g of excess magnesium powder is added to 50cm3 of 0.5mol dm-3 hydrochloric acid at room
temperature . Figure below shows the curve obtained when the volume of hydrogen gas
liberated against time is plotted .

The experiment is repeated using 25cm3 of 0.5 mol dm-3 HCL at 80oC to replace 50 cm3 of 0.5mol
dm-3 hydrochloric acid at room temperature . Copy and sketch the graph that you will expect to
obtained from the second experiment.