Kinetics Definitions Flashcards
Chemical Kinetics
The study of the rates of chemical reactions, and the factors that affect them
The rate
the change in concentration per unit time
Rate law
relationship between rate and concentration; 1st order rate is proportional to concentration and 2nd order the rate is proportional to the square of the concentration
Rate constant
The proportionality constant in rate law
Half-life
The time for concentration of the reactant to fall to half of its initial value
Collision Theory
molecules react by breaking and making bonds; in order to do so, reacting molecules must meet or collide with sufficient energy and in the correct orientation
Elementary Reaction
the step where molecules collide
Transition state `
The point in an elementary reaction where there is the highest energy between reactants and products
Reaction mechanism
a sequence of elementary reactions leading to the overall reaction
Reactive Intermediates
Short-lived reactive species that appear in one step and react in a later step in the reaction mechanism
Catalyst
substances that speed up a reaction without being consumed in the overall process
Homogeneous catalyst
Works in the same phase as the reaction itself
Heterogeneous catalyst
Operates in a different phase
Oscillating Reaction
the product appears as a series of bursts, and the concentrations of intermediates rise and fall periodically with time
