Rate Equations

• for a reaction A --> B

  rate = k[A]^n

  where k is the rate constant and n is the order of the reaction. Square brackets represent the concentration of the reactants
• rate of reaction is the increase in the concentration of product created in the reaction over time
• we can tell if theres a proportional relationship between the rate of reaction and the concentration of a reactant by looking at mathematical relationships between data from the experiment

  
• if the concentration of a reactant has no effect on the rate of reaction, the order of reaction for that reactant is zero and does not need to be included in the rate equation
• Arrhenius equation

  • k = Ae^(-Ea/RT)
  • shows how k changes as temperature changes
  • A = Arrhenius constant accounts for the frequency of collisions between particles