Kinetics Flashcards
What is the equation for rate of reaction?
Change in concentration / time
Units: moldm^-3s^-1
What is activation energy?
Minimum amount of kinetic energy the particles need to react
What is a catalyst?
Substance that speeds up the rate of reaction that is chemically unchanged at the end of the process
What is a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution?
The distribution energy among the molecules of a gas in a closed system
What does the area underneath the curve in a MB curve show?
Total number of particles present
If you decrease the temperature, what do you expect the MB curve to look like?
Taller peak and narrower overall
If you increase the temperature what do you expect the MB curve to look like?
Shorter peak and wider overall
What happens to the MB curve when you add a catalyst?
No change to curve, only change overall is Ea is lower
What factors increase the rate of reaction?
Increase in concentration (liquids)
Increase in pressure (gas)
Increase in surface area
Increase in temperature
Addition of a catalyst
What is the collision theory?
Reactions only occur when collisions take place between particles with sufficient energy.
The energy is usually needed to break the relevant bonds in one or either of the reactant molecules
Explain the economic importance of catalysts
Catalyst provides a different reaction pathway with a lower activation energy so reaction requires less overall energy and therefore costs are lower.
