Chapter 8.

1:
Kinetics

Lecturer: Uking Xiang

Contact: uking@alumni.usc.edu
WeChat: HelloUking

Contents:
• Section A: What is rate?
• Section B: Measuring the rate of a reaction
• Section C: The collision theory
• Section D: Factors affecting the rate
• Section E: Catalysts
Section A: What is rate?

The precipitation of silver Rust forming on an old car. This

chloride, when you mix solutions is usually a very slow reaction.
of silver nitrate and sodium It will take years for the car to
chloride. This is a very fast rust completely away.
reaction.

Rate is a measure of the change that happens in a single unit of time.

This plane has just flown 800 This petrol pump can pump
kilometres in 1 hour. It flew at a out petrol at a rate of 50
rate of 800 km per hour. liters per minute.
Rate of a chemical reaction

Reaction rate is defined as the change in concentration (or

amount) of a reactant or product over time.

In general, to find the rate of a reaction, you should measure:

 the amount of a reactant used up per unit of time or
 the amount of a product produced per unit of time.

Section B: Measuring the rate of a reaction

Timing how long a precipitate takes to form.

Measuring a decrease in mass.
Measuring the volume of gas given off.
Timing how long a precipitate takes to form.
1) You can use this method when the
product is a precipitate which clouds a
solution.
2) You watch a mark through the solution
and time how long it takes to be
obscured.
3) If the same observer uses the same
mark each time, you can compare
therates of reaction, because (roughly)
the same amount of precipitate
willhave been formed when the mark
becomes obscured.
4) But this method is subjective —
different people might not agree on
the exact moment the mark disappears.

Measuring a decrease in mass.

1) When one or more of the products is

a gas, youcan measure the rate of
formation using a mass balance.
2) As gas is given off, the mass of the
reaction mixture decreases.
3) This method is accurate and easy to
do. But it does release gas into the
atmosphere, so it’s usually done in a
fume cupboard.
Measuring the volume of gas given off.

1) This involves using a gas syringe

to measure the volume of gas
being produced.
2) You can only use this method
when one or more of the
products is a gas.
3) Gas syringes usually give
volumes to thenearest 0.1 cm3,
so this method is accurate.

Typical results

magnesium + hydrochloric acid → magnesium chloride + hydrogen

Typical results

Typical results
Typical results
 The rate changes all through the
reaction. It is greatest at the
start, but decreases as the
reaction proceeds.

 The faster the reaction, the

steeper the curve.

 When the reaction is over, the

curve goes flat.

Section C: The collision theory

In order for the magnesium and acid particles to react together:
The particles must collide with each other, and
the collision must have enough energy (Activation energy)
to be successful. In other words, enough energy to break
bonds to allow reaction to occur.

The rate of a reaction depends on how many successful

collisions there are in a given unit of time.

 Frequency of collisions
 Fraction of particles have E >Ea
Describe collision theory in terms of:

(a) number of particles per unit volume

(b) frequency of collisions between particles
(c) kinetic energy of particles
(d) activation energy, Ea

Section D: Factors affecting the rate

The surface area of any solid reactants

The concentration of the reactants
The pressure of reacting gases
The temperature at which the reaction is carried out
The use of a catalyst
The influence of light on some reactions
…
 Changing the rate of a reaction
① Experiment
② Results and conclusions
③ Explanations

By changing surface area

① Experiment

calcium carbonate + hydrochloric acid→ calcium chloride + water + carbon dioxide

CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) → CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

 By changing surface area
① Experiment

By changing surface area

② Results and conclusions

The rate of a reaction increases when the surface area of a solid reactant is increased.
 By changing surface area
③ Explanations

 If the surface area of a reactant is increased, more particles are

exposed to the other reactant
 Particles collide more frequently
 Faster rate

By changing concentration
① Experiment

magnesium + hydrochloric acid→ magnesium chloride + hydrogen

Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)

 By changing concentration
② Results and conclusions

A reaction goes faster when the concentration of a reactant is increased.

By changing concentration
③ Explanations

Increasing the concentration

of one or more reactants
increases the rate of reaction
because:

 there are more reacting

particles per unit volume

 the frequency of
collisions increases.
 By changing pressure
③ Explanations

Increasing the concentration

or pressure increases the rate
of reaction because:

 there are more reacting

particles per unit volume

 the frequency of
collisions increases.

Explosion!
increase the rate of a reaction by increasing:
 the concentration of a reactant
 the temperature
 the surface area of a solid reactant

In some situations, an increase in any of these can lead to a

dangerously fast reaction. You get an explosion.
In flour mills (面粉厂）

⇦ A fire at a grain
silo in Ghent,
Belgium, after
wheat dust
exploded. Several
people were
injured.

Flour particles are tiny, so flour has a very large surface

area. It can also catch fire.

In coal mines (煤矿）

In coal mines, methane (CH4) and
other flammable gases collect in the
air. At certain concentrations they
form an explosive mix with the air. A
spark is enough to set off an
explosion.

⇦ In the old days, miners used candles to

see their way underground – which caused
many explosions. Now they use sealed lamps
powered by batteries.
 By changing temperature
① Experiment

sodium thiosulfate + hydrochloric acid→ sodium chloride + sulfur + sulfur dioxide +

water

Na2S2O3(aq) + 2HCl(aq)→ 2NaCl(aq) + S(s) + SO2(g) + H2O(l)

By changing temperature
① Experiment

the speed of the reaction is inversely proportional to the time taken for the reaction to
finish:
 By changing temperature
② Results and conclusions

A reaction goes faster when the

temperature is raised.

When the temperature increases by

10 °C, the rate generally doubles.

By changing temperature
③ Explanations

Increasing the temperature increases rate

of reaction because

 the particles have more kinetic

energy
 so the frequency of collisions
increases and
 (more importantly) more of the
colliding particles have energy above
the activation energy leading to more
effective collisions.
 Section E: Catalysts
① Experiment

The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen.

The decomposition is very slow at room temperature.

hydrogen peroxide → water + oxygen

2H2O2(l) → 2H2O(l) + O2(g)

② Results and conclusions

 a It can be speeded up by adding a

catalyst, manganese(iv) oxide.

 b The catalyst is unchanged at the end,

and can be separated from the water by
filtration.
③ Explanations

Definition:

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, but

remains chemically unchanged itself.

Principles:

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a reaction by

providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation
energy.

③ Explanations
③ Explanations

③ Explanations

Increasing the amount of

catalyst increases the rate of
reaction. Here the amount of
manganese(iv) oxide has been
doubled in experiment G
compared to F.
Some examples of industrial catalysts

Biological catalysts (enzymes)