Battle Abbey School

Science Department

A2 Chemistry

Kinetics

Rate determining step

Calculating reaction rate
Measuring reaction rate in the lab
Determining the rate equation
Arrhenius and rate
1.1 Rate determining step

1. For each of the everyday processes described below, identify the step that slows the process down.

(a) Making a cup of tea.

Step 1: Get a Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Leave

mug out of the Add a Boil the the tea bag to
cupboard tea bag water stew

(b) Playing with a model helicopter received as a Christmas present.

Step 1: Spot Step 2: Step 3: Charge Step 4: Play
the present Unwrap the the batteries for with the
under the tree present 24 h helicopter

(c) Getting out of the house in the morning on time.

Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4:

Alarm Get out Have a Eat
goes off of bed shower breakfast
(3 marks)
The overall rate of these processes is controlled by the rate of the slowest step. For a chemical reaction we
call this step the rate determining or rate limiting step.
For each of the multi-step reactions below, write the overall equation for the reaction and identify the rate
limiting step.

slow
2. Step 1: CH3Br CH3+ + Br– Overall equation...................................................................
Step 2: CH3+ + OH– fast CH3OH Rate limiting step ...............................................................

slow
3. Step 1: NO + NO N 2O2 Overall equation.................................................................
Step 2: N2O2 + O2 fast 2 NO2 Rate limiting step .............................................................

fast
4. Step 1: NO + NO N 2O2 Overall equation................................................................
Step 2: N2O2 + H2 slow N2O + H2O Rate limiting step ..............................................................
Step 3: N2O + H2 fast N 2 + H2 O (6 marks)

BONUS MARK
In a chemical reaction, any step that occurs after the rate determining step will not affect the rate. Therefore
any species that are involved in the mechanism after the rate determining step do not appear in the rate
expression. Use this information to predict which of the options below is the correct rate expression for the
reaction shown in question 2.

(a) Rate = k [CH3Br] or (b) Rate = k [CH3Br][OH–] (1 mark)

1.2 Calculating reaction rate
1. What is the definition for the rate of a reaction?

....................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................... (2 marks)

2. A simple way to determine the rate of a reaction is to measure the change in concentration of one
reagent with time. The graph below shows the change in concentration of [C 4H9Cl] during the reaction;
C4H9Cl + OH– → C4H9OH + Cl–
0.1

0.09

0.08
(a) Use the graph to calculate the rate of
0.07
[C4H9Cl] / mol dm3

reaction at;
0.06
i. t = 0 s ...............................................................
0.05

0.04 ii. t = 200 s ...............................................................

0.03 ................................................................................

0.02 iii. t = 600 s ...............................................................

0.01 (4 marks)
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Time / s

(b) Use the values for the reaction rate you have calculated to sketch a graph of reaction rate (y-axis)
against [C4H9Cl] (x-axis). (3 marks)
2

1.8

1.6
Reaction rate î/ 10 4 mol dm 3 s 1

1.4

1.2

1
(c) From your graph, is the reaction zero
order, first order or second order with
0.8
respect to [C4H9Cl]?
0.6
......................................................................................
0.4

0.2
(1 mark)

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1
[C4H9Cl] / mol dm  3
1.3 Measuring reaction rate in the lab

The rate of a reaction is defined as the change in concentration of reactants or products per unit time. The
units of rate are mol dm3 s1.

The method chosen to measure the rate of a reaction depends on the individual reaction.

For each of the reactions below, use the observations made to calculate the initial rate of the reaction.

1. Measuring the rate of a reaction when a precipitate is formed;

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

A student wished to investigate how temperature affected the rate of the reaction between sodium
thiosulfate and acid. He reacted 10 cm3 of a 0.02 mol dm3 solution of sodium thiosulfate with 40 cm3 of
hydrochloric acid (excess) at 22 C. The time taken to produce a precipitate of 1 × 10 –4 mol of sulfur was
found to be 56 s.

Initial rate of production of sulfur = .............................................mol dm–3 s–1

(2 marks)

2. Measuring the rate of a reaction in which there is a change in colour;

CH3COCH3(aq) + I2(aq) → CH3COCH2I(aq) + H+(aq) + I (aq)

colourless brown colourless colourless

A student followed the reaction between iodine and propanone to produce iodopropanone. She set up
the first experiment as described in the table below and found it took 279 s for the brown colour of the
iodine to disappear.

2.0 mol dm3 1.0 mol dm3 HCl 0.005 mol dm3 I2
H2O / cm3 Time / s
propanone / cm3 / cm 3
/ cm 3

5 5 2 13 279

Initial rate of loss of iodine = ...............................................mol dm–3 s–1

(3 marks)

3. Measuring the rate of a reaction in which a gas is produced;

Mg(s) + 2 HCl(aq) → MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)

The student reacted a 3 cm strip of magnesium ribbon with 25 cm 3 of 2.0 mol dm–3 HCl (an excess). He
found that 14 cm3 of gas was produced in the first 10 seconds of the reaction.

(You may assume the reaction was carried out at RTP where 1 mole of gas has a volume of 24 dm3.)

Initial rate of loss of hydrochloric acid = .............................................mol dm–3 s–1

(4 marks)
1.4 Determining the rate equation

For each of the following sets of experimental data determine;

(a) The rate equation for the reaction,

(b) The value of the rate constant, k including its units.

Initial rate of loss of [A] /

Experiment [A] / mol dm–3 [B] / mol dm–3
mol dm–3 s–1

1 1.20 × 10–3 3.30 × 10–3 4.02 × 10–4

2 1.20 × 10–3 6.60 × 10–3 4.02 × 10–4

3 2.40 × 10–3 6.60 × 10–3 1.61 × 10–3

1.

Rate = ..................................................

k = ......................................................... (3 marks)

2. Run 1 Run 2 Run 3

[A] / mol dm–3 0.15 0.30 0.45

[B] / mol dm–3 0.10 0.10 0.20

−d [B ]
/ mol dm–3 s–1 2.5 × 10–4 2.5 × 10–4 5.0 × 10–4
dt

Rate = ..................................................

k = ........................................................ (3 marks)

3. Initial rate
Experiment [X] / mol dm–3 [Y] / mol dm–3 [Z] / mol dm–3
/ mol dm–3 s–1

1 0.05 0.10 0.15 5.20 × 10–4

2 0.10 0.10 0.15 2.08 × 10–3

3 0.05 0.10 0.30 5.20 × 10–4

4 0.15 0.05 0.15 2.34 × 10–3

Rate = ..................................................

k = ........................................................ (4 marks)
1.5 Arrhenius and rate

1. A reaction between A and B was found to be first order with respect to both.

(a) Write the rate equation for the reaction…………………………………………………………....(1 mark)

(b) The rate constant k varies with temperature. Use the data together with the rate equation you have
written in part (a) to complete the table below; (4 marks)

Temperature / K [A] / mol dm–3 [B] / mol dm–3 Rate k / mol–1 dm3 s–1
/ mol dm–3 s–1
288 0.015 0.030 2.70 × 10–8

313 0.015 0.015 2.16 × 10–7

338 0.030 0.030 9.18 × 10–6

363 0.030 0.015 3.52 × 10–5

(c) A scientist wishes to use this data to determine the activation energy for the reaction. He can do
this using the Arrhenius equation;

k is the rate constant

EA is the activation energy
− EA
k=A RT where T is the temperature in Kelvin
e
R is the gas constant (8.31 J K–1 mol–1)
A is a constant

( )
EA 1 1
A more useful form of the same equation is, ln k = ln A – . A graph of ln k vs is
R T T
EA
therefore a straight line with a gradient equal to – .
R
1
(i) Use the axes below to plot a graph of ln k vs for the data calculated in part (b). (4
T
marks)
0.0032
0.0026
0.0024

0.0034
0.0028

0.0036
0.0030

1
0
T
1
2
(ii) Therefore calculate the value of the activation energy,
3 EA, for this reaction.
4
ln k ...................................................................................
5
6 ......................................................................(1 mark)
7
8
9
10
Advanced starters for 10
1. Kinetics
Answers

1.1. Rate determining step

1. (a) Step 3 Boil the water

(b) Step 3 Charge the batteries for 24 h

(c) Step 2 Get out of bed (although this may depend on the individual!) (3
marks)

2. Overall equation: CH3Br + OH– → CH3OH + Br–

Rate limiting step: CH3Br → CH3+ + Br (Step 1) (2

marks)

3. Overall equation: 2 NO + O2 → 2 NO2

Rate limiting step: NO + NO → N2O2 (Step 1) (2

marks)

4. Overall equation: 2 NO + 2 H2 → N2 + 2 H2O

Rate limiting step: N2O2 + H2 → N2O + H2O (Step 2) (2

marks)

BONUS MARK Answer = (a) Rate = k [CH3Br] (1 mark)

1.2. Calculating reaction rate

1. The rate of a reaction is the change in concentration of reactants or products per unit time (2
marks)

2. (a) i. 2.0 × 10–4 mol dm–3 s–1

ii. 1.3 × 10–4 mol dm–3 s–1

iii. 5.5 × 10–5 mol dm–3 s–1 (1 mark for each correct value, 1 mark for the correct units for rate)

(b) 2

1.8

1.6
Reaction rate / × 10 -4 mol dm -3 s-1

1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1
[C4 H9 Cl] / mol dm -3
 (3
marks)

(c) The reaction is first order with respect to C4H9Cl. (1 mark)

1.3. Measuring reaction rate in the lab

1. Change in concentration of sulfur = (1 × 10–4 mol – 0 mol) / 0.05 dm3 = 2 × 10–3 mol dm–3 (1 mark)

Initial rate of production of sulfur = 2 × 10–3 mol dm–3 / 56 s = 3.6 × 10–5 mol dm–3 s–1 (1 mark)

2. Moles of iodine in reaction mixture at start = 0.002 dm3 × 0.005 mol dm–3 = 1 × 10–5 mol (1 mark)

Change in concentration of iodine = (1 × 10–5 mol – 0 mol) / 0.025 dm3 = 4 × 10–4 mol dm–3 (1 mark)

Initial rate of loss of iodine = 4 × 10–4 mol dm–3 / 279 s = 1.4 × 10–6 mol dm–3 s–1 (1 mark)

3. Moles in 14 cm3 of hydrogen at RTP = 0.014 dm3 / 24 dm3 = 5.8 × 10–4 mol (1 mark)

Moles of acid used up to produce this many moles of hydrogen = 5.8 × 10–4 mol × 2 = 1.17 × 10–3 mol
(1 mark)

Change in concentration of acid = 1.17 × 10–3 mol / 0.025 dm3 = 0.047 mol dm–3 (1 mark)

Initial rate of loss of hydrochloric acid = 0.047 mol dm–3 / 10 s = 0.0047 mol dm–3 s–1 (1 mark)

1.4 Determining the rate equation

1. Rate = k[A]2; k = 280 mol–1 dm3 s–1

(2 marks for the identification of the correct order wrt A and B, 1 mark for k with correct units)

2. Rate = k[B]; k = 2.5 × 10–3 s–1

(2 marks for the identification of the correct order wrt A and B, 1 mark for k with correct units)

3. Rate = k[X]2[Y]; k = 2.08 mol–2 dm6 s–1

(3 marks for the identification of the correct order wrt X, Y and Z, 1 mark for k with correct units)

1.5 Arrhenius and rate

1. (a) Rate = k[A][B] (1 mark)

Temperature / Rate
(b) [A] / mol dm3 [B] / mol dm3 k / mol–1 dm3 s1
K / mol dm3 s1

288 0.015 0.030 2.70 × 10–8 6.0 × 10–5

313 0.015 0.015 2.16 × 10–7 9.6 × 10–4

338 0.030 0.030 9.18 × 10–6 0.010

363 0.030 0.015 3.52 × 10–5 0.078

 0
(c) (i) 0.0024 0.0026 0.0028 0.003 0.0032 0.0034 0.0036
-1

-2

-3 1/T ln K
-4 0.00347 9.72
ln k

-5 0.00319 6.95
-6 0.00296 4.59
-7
0.00275 2.55
-8

-9
y = -10000x + 25.026 (4 marks)
-10
1/ T

EA
(ii) Gradient =  10000,  = 10000. Therefore E A = 83100 J or 83.1 kJ (1 mark)
R