Managing Chemical Processes Flashcards
What is a rate of reaction?
The rate at which the chemical reaction occurs overtime. This can be expressed as either the rate at which a product is formed, or the rate at in which a reactant is consumed.
How is the rate of reaction measured?
Through a concentration vs time graph.
How is the average rate of change calculated?
Using the highest and lowest point on the function.
How is the instantaneous rate of change calculated?
By drawing a tangent to that point, and using the intercepts (x and y) of that tangent.
What does the slope of the reaction tell us?
It provides the information on the speed of the rate of the reaction.
Steep slope - rapid rate of change
Shallow slope - slow rate of reaction
Zero slope - no reaction occurring or the reaction has reached equilibrium.
What do all chemical reactions entail?
The breaking then making of bonds.
What does breaking of bonds do?
Uses energy (endothermic)
What does the forming of bonds do?
Releases energy (exothermic)
What happens in an exothermic reaction?
Net release of heat energy to the surroundings.
Temperature of the surroundings increases.
e.g: combustion, respiration, acid-base neutrilisations.
What happens in an endothermic reaction?
Net absorbance of heat energy from the surroundings.
Temperature of the surroundings decreases.
e.g: photosynthesis, melting and evaporation.
What is Enthalpy (H)?
It is the total energy/heat of the system at at constant pressure and volume.
Draw exothermic and endothermic energy profile diagrams
What is the collision theory used to explain?
Collision theory is used to explain chemical reaction and the factors that affect the rate of reactions. The reactants are particles that must collide with each other in order to react and form products.
What do successful collisions result in?
Product formation. The kinetic energy of the colliding particles exceeds the activation energy for the reaction.
What do unsuccessful collisions result in?
No products formed and no chemical change. The kinetic energy of the colliding particles does not exceed the activation energy for the reaction leading to the particles bouncing off one another.
For a successful collision what three criteria must be met?
The reactant particles must collide.
The colliding particles must have energy equal or more than the activation energy.
The reactant particles must collide in the correct orientation for a reaction to occur.
What does the rate of reaction depend on?
The frequency of successful collisions.
High frequency of successful collisions - Rapid reaction rate
Smaller frequency of successful collisions - Slow reaction rate
What factors can alter the conditions in which the particles collide in?
Temperature
Concentration
Pressure
Surface Area
Catalysis
Enzymes
How does the temperature of a reaction impact the rate of reaction?
The temperature of a substance is the average kinetic energy of particles in the substance.
The higher the temperature, the particles move faster due to the greater amount of kinetic energy.
This increases the chances of a molecule colliding with energy equal to or greater than the activation energy.
The frequency of successful collisions increases, thus increasing the rate of reaction.
How does concentration impact the rate of reaction?
The higher the concentration, the more particles per unit volume.
The closer particles are and more likely they are to collide.
Increasing the concentration of the reactants, increases the frequency of successful collisions.
What impact does pressure have on the rate of reaction?
Pressure of a gas can be increased by decreasing the volume, allowing particles to collide more frequently.
Decreasing the container size, increases the gas pressure, which increases the probability of successful collisions and indirectly, the frequency of successful collisions/
What impact does surface area have on the rate of reaction?
It increases the rate of reaction as only the particles on the surface of a solid are able to collide with other reactant particles.
Increases the surface area of a reactant, increase the number of surface/exposed particles which increase the frequency of successful collisions.
What impact do catalysts have on the rate of reaction?
Catalysts increase the rate of reaction by providing alternate energy pathways that lower activation energy.
Introducing a catalyst increases the proportion of reactants that possess energy equal to or greater than the activation energy. This increases the frequency of successful collisions.
Catalysts are not consumed during the reaction and remain unchanged at the completion of the reaction - requiring only small amounts.
Homogenous catalysts - same state (solid, liquid or gas).
Heterogeneous catalyst - different states.
What impact do enzymes have on the rate of reaction?
Enzymes are large protein molecules that act as biological catalysts. The catalytic ability of enzyme is linked to its unique 3D structure, in particular the shape/structure of the active site where the reaction occurs. It constrain the molecule to certain molecules. This lowers the activation energy, increasing the frequency of successful collisions.
Describe the conditions of an irreversible reaction
- Reactants collide to form products.
- Products cannot collide to form reactants
- Only the ‘forward’ reaction occurs
- This is the typical reaction
Describe the conditions of an reversible reaction
- Reactants collide to form products.
- Products collide to form reactants.
- Both the ‘forward’ and ‘backwards’ reactions occurs.
This is an equilibrium balancing act.
What is equilibrium?
When the rate of a forward reaction and backward reaction are equal, the system is said to be at equilibrium.
- Equilibrium is a dynamic (moving) process. The reaction has not stopped, it is just happening equality as fast in both directions.
- At equilibrium there is no in observed or measured properties such as colour, temperature, pH, pressure or concentration.
- The concentration remains the same.
Equilibrium is when the products and reactants are being consumed and formed at the same rate. NOT MOLAR RATIO!
Describe the conditions of equilibrium
It is a system (reaction) can only reach equilibrium.
- It is a closed reaction (reactants and products cannot be lost or gained to/form surroundings).
- Its at a constant pressure.
If these conditions are not met, the forward (right) or the backward (left) reaction will be favoured.
We can force equilibrium to favour a forward or backwards reaction.
What is an equilibrium constants?
The position of equilibrium (whether the reactants or products are favoured) can be described using the equilibrium constant (Kc).
The magnitude of the equilibrium constant provides an indication on how far the reaction has proceeded at equilibrium and the yield (amount) of products relative to the quantities of reactants at equilibrium.
How to track equilibrium?
At the start of the reaction only reactants are present.
The rate of the forward reaction is greater than the rate of the backward reaction.
As product forms the rate of the backward reaction increases.
As more reactants are consumed the rate of the forward reaction decreases.
Eventually the rate of the forward and backward reactions are equal.
When at a straight line the system has reached equilibrium.
What is the formula for equilibrium constants?
aA + bB <-> cC + dD
Kc = [C]^c[D]^d/[A]^a[B]^b
Kc = [product]^ coefficient value/[Reactants]^ coefficient
[A], [B], [C] and [D] are concentrations of the species A, B, C and D at equilibrium.
Kc has no units (it is a ratio of concentrations)
Kc has a constant value at a constant temperature and pressure (for the same reaction).
What does it meant by a higher Kc value?
- Higher yield of products at equilibrium.
- Forward reaction has proceeded to a large extent (reactants -> products) at equilibrium.
What is meant by a lower Kc value?
- Lower yields of products at equilibrium.
- Forward reaction has proceeded to a smaller extent (reactants -> products) at equilibrium.
If Kc > 1 what does this mean?
- The equilibrium lies to the right and the forward reaction is favoured.
- Concentration of products greater than concentration of reactants.
If Kc < 1 what does this mean?
- The equilibrium lies to the left and the backward reaction is favoured.
- Concentration of reactants greater than concentration of products.
How to spell LCP
Le chatelier with a hat on the a
What is le chateliers principle?
When a system at equilibrium is subjected to a change in concentration, temperature, volume or pressure, then the system readjusts itself to (partially) counteract the effect of the applied charge and a new equilibrium is established.”
It predicts how a stress on a system at equilibrium affects the positions of equilibrium.
The system always opposes the stress by shifting the position.
The system opposes the stress except with volume it accepts it.
Describe concentration as a stress
If the concentration of a reactant or product is increased or decreased when the system is at equilibrium the system will counteract change by shifting equilibrium position.
What happens if we increase reactant concentration?
System will work to consume reactant, shift equilibrium to the right.
What happens if we decrease reactant concentration?
System will want to produce more product, equilibrium shifts to the left.
Increase in the reactant concentration…
System response - consume the added reactant
Equilibrium position - equilibrium shifts to the right.
Decrease in the reactant concentration…
System response - produce more of the removed reactant.
Equilibrium position - Equilibrium shifts to the left
Increase in the product concentration…
System response - consume the added product
Equilibrium position - equilibrium shift to the left