Rates Of Reaction: An Intro Flashcards
Define the term rate of reaction
Rate of reaction is a measure of how quickly a reactant is used up, or a product is formed. So in simpler terms, how fast the reactant are changed into products
Give two examples of what a slow reaction would be
– rusting of metal (one of the slowest is rusting of specifically iron)
– chemical weathering (like the effects of acid rain on limestone buildings)
List an example of a moderately paced reaction
A metal (specifically magnesium here) reacting with an acid (to produce a gentle stream of bubbles)
List an example of a faster paced reaction
Burning. And explosions. They happen in a split second- in fact less than a second and they produce a lot of gas
How can you calculate the speed of a reaction?
Recording the amount of product formed or the amount of reactant used over the time of the reaction
Say you plot a graph of the reaction. What does a steep line mean? And what happens when it grows flat?
The steeper the line, the faster the rate of the reaction, however, the line will gradually get flatter as the reactants get used up.
What do quicker reactions look like on a graph?
Quicker reactions have a steeper line and reach the flat point at the least amount of time.
