Kinetics

• A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of reaction by providing an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy without being chemically changed
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

  The curve starts at 0 as no molecules have zero energy
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

  The peak of the curve is the most likely energy of any molecule
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

  To the Right of the most likely energy is the Mean energy for all molecules ( Emp )
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

  To the right of the Emp is the activation energy
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution

  The area below the curve is the total number of molecules
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution: Temperature

  At an higher temperature the peak of the graph lowers and shifts to the right
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution: Temperature

  At higher temperatures more molecules have at least the activation energy
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution: Catalyst

  Using a catalyst increases the proportion of particles with sufficient energy to react
• Maxwell Boltzmann Distribution: Catalyst 


  The activation energy shifts to the left

  
• Measuring Rates of Reaction

  • Timing how long it takes to form a precipitate
  • Measuring a decrease in mass
  • Measuring the volume of gas given off