Rates of Reaction

Reaction rates
Conditions effect on reaction rate
Catalysis
 Reaction Kinetics
• Reaction kinetics is the study of the rates of reactions of
chemical reactions.

Some chemical reactions are very fast (they have a high

rate of reaction), while some are much slower (they have a
lower reaction rate.)

Both combustion and corrosion, are oxidation reactions

(they involve the reaction of a substance with oxygen).
Their reaction rates, however, are different.
Combustion is the chemical reaction of fuel with oxygen.

Fuel is usually carbon based. (petrol, wood, coal etc.)

• Fast and highly exothermic
• Much energy released over a short time period
• High reaction rate

Corrosion is the chemical reaction of refined metals

with oxygen, into more chemically stable metal oxides,
hydroxides and sulfides.
Corrosion of iron is specifically referred as rusting.

• Much lower reaction rate

 Rate of Reaction
The rate of reaction can be defined as follows:

Viewing the balanced equation itself, does not provide us with

info about the reaction rate.

In order to obtain such info, we need experiments in which we

measure the rates at which reactants are used up, or product
formation rates.
 Finding the reaction rate
In the case of reactions where gas is one of the products, measuring
the volume of the gas produced over time, may help us find the
reaction rate.
 Collisions theory
When explaining the effects of temperature, concentration, surface
area, and catalyst presence on the reaction rate, we use the
collisions theory.

Collisions theory: in order to react with each other, particles must

collide in the correct orientation and with sufficient energy.

If any of the two conditions is not met, the particles do not react
and we have an ineffective collision.

If the particles react, we have an effective collision.

 Activation energy
Activation energy: The minimum energy required by colliding
particles, in order for an effective collision, and therefore a reaction,
to occur. Every chemical reaction has its specific activation energy.

Activation Energy
 Activation energy: exothermic and
endothermic reactions
All reactions need energy to get started. The difference between endothermic and
exothermic reactions, is that while the first, require a constant input of energy, the
exothermic reactions, once they get the activation energy required, they proceed to
provide the environment with more energy than the one needed by it, in order to start.

Activation energies for exothermic and endothermic reactions, are shown on the diagram
below:
 Speeding up chemical reactions:
Catalysis
According to the collisions theory, a reaction will speed up, if we
increase:
• the collisions frequency (hence, the effective collisions)
• the proportion of particle with energy greater than the activation
energy

In order to achieve those increases, we use catalysts.

 Catalysts
Catalyst: a substance that increases the rate of a reaction, but
remains chemically intact at the end of the reaction.
 Catalysts
The catalyst does this by making it possible for the particles to
react by an alternative mechanism, which has a lower activation
energy.
 Reaction rate – concentration effect
In chemistry, we measure the of solutions in moles per decimeter
cubed: (dm3 = liter)

The more concentrated the solution, the greater the number of

particles in a given volume.

More concentrated solutions give higher reaction rates, because in

that case, the collisions, and hence the effective collisions, are
more frequent, the more particles exist in a solution.

Same happens to the pressure effect, regarding gases.

 Reaction rate – temperature effect
In a sample of any substance, at any given temperature, the particles will not all poses the
same amount of energy.

Some, will have relatively lower energy. Some, relatively larger. And most particles’
energy will be somewhere in between.

The distribution of energies at a given temperature is shown in a graph called the

Boltzmann distribution.
When we raise the temperature, particles’ average kinetic energy
will raise, so the particles will be moving around more quickly,
resulting in more successful collisions.

However, experimental data has proven that the effect of total

collisions increase is not the only factor accounting for reaction
rate increasing with temperature increasing.

The key is that as we increase temperature, the proportion of

effective collisions also increases.
 Boltzmann distribution and catalysis
The presence of a catalyst does not change the Boltzmann distribution.

By offering an alternative mechanism, the only thing that changes regarding the distribution by a catalyst, is the
proportion of molecules having energy greater than the activation energy, which in the case of a catalyst, is greater.

Therefore, more effective collisions occur, hence, there is an increase in the reaction rate.
 Homogeneous and heterogeneous
catalysis
Homogeneous catalysis: the reactants and the catalyst are in the same phase.

Heterogeneous catalysis: the reactants and the catalyst are in different phases. Many
heterogeneous catalysts are solids that catalyze
gas reactions.

Heterogeneous catalysis
 Catalysis in biology: The enzymes
Enzyme: large protein molecule that enables reactions to take place very
quickly at room temperature within the organism.
Like common catalysts, enzymes are
• not used up
• providing an alternative reaction path with lower activation energy