Question 1

What is the difference between reaction order and stoichiometric coefficients?

Accepted Answer

Reaction order describes how reactant concentration affects reaction rate and must be determined experimentally. Stoichiometric coefficients are the numbers in the balanced chemical equation and do not determine reaction order. For example, a reactant with a coefficient of 2 could be zero-order, first-order, or second-order depending on its actual relationship to the reaction rate.

Question 2

How does concentration affect the reaction rate in a zero-order reaction?

Accepted Answer

In a zero-order reaction, reactant concentration has no effect on the reaction rate. The rate equals only the rate constant k, making the reaction rate independent of how much reactant is present. A graph of reaction rate versus concentration appears as a horizontal line.

Question 3

What is the mathematical relationship between concentration and rate in first-order reactions?

Accepted Answer

In first-order reactions, reactant concentration is linearly related to the reaction rate. The rate equation is rate = k[A], where k is the rate constant and [A] is the reactant concentration. Doubling the concentration doubles the reaction rate, and the graph is linear with slope k.

Question 4

How does doubling a reactant's concentration affect a second-order reaction?

Accepted Answer

In second-order reactions, there is a quadratic relationship between concentration and rate. When you double the reactant concentration, the reaction rate increases by a factor of four. The rate equation is rate = k[A]², and the concentration-versus-rate graph appears parabolic.

Question 5

Why does the rate constant have different units depending on reaction order?

Accepted Answer

The rate constant k must have units that make the overall rate expression equal moles per liter per second. For zero-order reactions, k has units M/s. For first-order, k is 1/s. For second-order, k is 1/(M·s). The units adjust so the rate always has consistent dimensions regardless of reaction order.

Question 6

What experimental method is used to determine the reaction order of each reactant?

Accepted Answer

To determine reaction order, hold one reactant's concentration constant while varying the other, then measure the time for the reaction to progress to a visible endpoint. Repeat for each reactant. Compare how reaction time changes with concentration: constant time indicates zero-order, linear changes indicate first-order, and a factor-of-four change when concentration doubles indicates second-order.

Question 7

How is the overall reaction order calculated when a reaction has multiple reactants?

Accepted Answer

The overall reaction order is the sum of the individual reaction orders for each reactant. For example, if reactant A is first-order (m = 1) and reactant B is zero-order (n = 0), the overall reaction order is one. This sum determines how the combined concentrations of all reactants affect the total reaction rate.

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