PHYSICAL SCIENCES

GRADE 12

TOPIC: RATE OF REACTIONS

PRESENTER :THANDIWE UOANE

DATE: 18 April 2024
 OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSON
• Define reaction rate
• Calculate reaction rate from given data
• List the factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions
• Explain in terms of the collision theory how the various factor affect
the rate of chemical reactions
• Answer questions and interpret data (tables or graphs) on different
experimental techniques for measuring the rate of a given reaction.
• Define the term positive catalyst
• Interpret graphs of distribution of molecular energies (number of
particles against their kinetic energy or Maxwell-Boltzmann curves)
to explain how a catalyst, temperature and concentration affect rate.
• Reaction rate is the change in concentration of reactants or products
per unit time.
• Calculate reaction rate from given data for reactants:
• Calculate reaction rate from given data for products:
• Questions may also include calculations of rate in terms of change in
mass/volume/ moles per time.
• List the factors that affect the rate of chemical reactions
• Answer questions and interpret data (tables or graphs) on different
experimental techniques for measuring the rate of a given reaction.
• Explain in terms of the collision theory how various factors affect the
rate of reactions.
• The collision theory is a model that explains reaction rate as the
result of particles colliding with a certain minimum energy to form
products.
• Interpret graphs of the distribution of molecular energies (number of
particles against their kinetic energy or Maxwell-Boltzmann curves)
to explain how a catalyst, temperature, and concentration affect rate.
 Energy Changes during chemical reactions
• Energy gets absorbed and released when the bonds break and form
• Energy changes that occur during chemical reactions can be represented using a POTENTIAL
ENERGY DIAGRAM

• Define: Exothermic, endothermic reaction, activated complex, activation energy, and Heat of
reaction
 Reaction rate

H2 + I2 → 2HI

• The gradient of either curve will give the average rate of reaction for the time interval Δt
 Calculating reaction rate
• Calculate the rate of reaction if it takes 18 seconds to produce 42
moles of carbon dioxide from a wood fire.
 PRE KNOWLEDGE

• Exothermic reactions
(reactions that release energy).
• Endothermic reactions
(reactions that absorb energy).
• Kinetic energy
(the energy an object possesses as a result of its
motion).
 PRE KNOWLEDGE cont….
• Bond Energy
(the energy needed to break one mole of its
molecules into separate atoms).
• Bond Length
(the average distance between the nuclei of two
bonded atoms).
• Activation energy
(the minimum energy needed for a reaction to
take place).
ENERGY AND CHANNGE
 CHEMICAL REACTION
• Chemical reaction is a process in which reactants are
converted to products
• During chemical reaction existing bonds between reactant
particles must be broken and new bonds must formed.
• Particles of different reactants first collide with each other
effectively with sufficient energy called Activation energy
• Activation energy is the minimum energy required for
effective collision.
 DEFINATION OF RATE OF REACTION
 The rate of a reaction is the change in the concentration of reactants
OR products per unit time.
 When calculating reaction rate for a reaction using the number of
moles/ mass/concentration of reactants, the following expression
should be used:
 Average rate = -
• The number of moles/mass /concentration of reactants decreases
because reactants are used and therefore nf – ni will be negative. The
minus sign ensures that a positive value is obtained for reaction rate.
 Definitions cont……….
• When calculating reaction rate for a reaction using the number of
moles of products, the following expression should be used:
Average rate = . The number of moles of products increases
because products are formed and nf – ni will be positive.
 COLLISION THEORY

This theory states that conditions must be met for a reaction to

occur:
1.The reacting particles must collide with minimum energy that is
equal or higher than the activation energy to start the process of
breaking and forming bonds.

2. The reacting particles must collide with a correct orientation

that can lead to re-arrangement of atoms and the formation of
products.
FACTORS AFFECTING RATES OF REACTIONS

Concentration
of the reactants
in solution

Addition of a Surface area

suitable of solid the reactants
catalyst Factors (state of division)

affecting
the rate of
Nature of
reaction Pressure
the reacting (if reactants
substances are gases)

Temperature of the
reaction mixture
 Surface area/State of division
• The reaction rate increases with an increase in the surface area of the reactants.
The explanation
• Increasing the surface area of the reactants results in more reaction sites.
• (Reaction sites - specific sites on molecules at which reactions occur).
• Increasing the number of reaction sites increases the frequency of total
collisions.
• More particles with sufficient kinetic energy, that is greater or equal to activation
energy
• More effective collisions per unit time will occur which will increase the reaction
rate.
Example
• The most effective way of increasing the surface area of a solid is to grind the
solid into a powder.
 Concentration
• Concentration is the measure of number of moles of
dissolved(solute)per unit volume
• The higher the concentration of a reactant in solution, the higher the
rate of the reaction.
The explanation
• Increasing the concentration, increases the number of solute particles
in the solution per unit volume.
• More particles with sufficient kinetic energy, that is greater or equal to
activation energy
• This will increase the effective collision between the particles per unit
time/ increase the frequency of the effective collisions).
• The reaction rate will therefore increase
 Temperature
• An increase in temperature increases the reaction rate.
Explanation
• Particles can only react when they collide effectively.
• Higher temperature implies higher average kinetic energy of
molecules.
• More molecules have minimum energy equal to or higher than the
activation energy.
• This will cause more effective collisions per unit time (increase in the
collision frequency).
• The rate of reaction will increase.
 Presence /addition of catalyst

Definition of a positive catalyst

• A positive catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a
chemical reaction by providing a different pathway of lower
activation energy without itself undergoing a permanent change.
• Catalyst does not change the energy of reactants or products
• Catalyst does not affect the heat of reactions
 Presence /addition of catalyst
Explanation
• Collisions only result in a reaction if the particles collide with a
certain minimum energy called the activation energy.
• Adding a catalyst provides an alternative route with lower activation
energy for the reaction.
• The majority / more of particles will now react via the easier
catalysed route with lower energy.
• More effective collisions per unit time will occur which will increase
the reaction rate
 Nature of the reacting substances

The rate of a chemical reaction depends on:

• the medium in which the reaction occurs (liquid or
gas);
• the properties of the reactants.
• The rate of a reaction may differ depending whether
the medium is aqueous or organic; polar or
nonpolar; or liquid, solid, or gaseous
• The reactions in which ionic and polar solutions are
involved also take place at a high rate.
Maxwell-Boltzman Distribution Curves
TEMPERATURES
CONCENTRATIONS
Addition of catalysts
GRAPH OF CONCENTRATIONVS TIME GRAPH REACTANTS
GRAPH OF CONCENTRATIONVS TIME GRAPH PRODUCTS
1. The rate is not a constant throughout the
reaction - it changes!
2. The reaction is fastest at the start, gradually
becoming slower as the reaction proceeds.
3. From the graph, the fastest part of the reaction
is shown by the steepest curve.
4. The curve on the graph goes flat when the
reaction is complete. This is because, as time goes
on the volume
Effect of a catalyst
Adding Catalyst
Activity conti….
Possible solutions
Possible solutions
Possible solutions
 QUESTION 1

The rate of chemical reaction can be expressed in …

A grams per mole.

B energy consumed per mole.
C volume of gas formed per unit time.
D moles of product formed per litre of solution
 QUESTION 2

The rate of a chemical reaction is most correctly defined as the …

A time taken for a reaction to occur.

B speed at which a reaction takes place.
C change in the amount of reactants or products.
D change in the concentration of reactants or products per unit time.
 Question 3

The equation below represents the decomposition of calcium carbonate.

Which ONE of the following factors will increase the initial rate of decomposition of calcium
carbonate?
A Pressure
B Temperature
C Concentration
D Mass of
 Question 4

Consider the reaction represented by the balanced equation below:

The activation energy for the forward reaction is and that for the reverse reaction .
The heat of reaction (H) is …

A
B
C
D