Chemical kinetics: Reaction order and life-time

Three types of chemicals:

1. First order: 1 d [A] 1

A k 1 product ,k 1= ; =−k 1 [ A ] , τ =
→ s dt k1
Example: radioactive decay, thermal decomposition, photolysis

2. Second order: cm3 d [ A ] d [ B] d [C ] 1

A+ B k 2 C , k 2= ; = =−k 2 [ A ] [ B ] , =k 2 [ A ] [ B ] , τ a=
→ molecules . s dt dt dt k2[ B ]
Example: NO+O3→NO2+O2
2’. Pseudo-first order: when [O3] >> [NO], [O3] is treated as a constant,
d [ NO ]
=−k 2 [ NO ] [ O 3 ] =−( k 2 [ O 3 ] ) [ NO ] =−k 1 [NO ]
'
dt
6
3. Third order: cm
A+ B+C k 3 product , k 3= 2
→ molecules . s