AP Chemistry Kinetics Review

Front

What is a first order reaction?

Back

A first order reaction is one where the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of one reactant. The rate law can be expressed as rate = k[A], where k is the rate constant.

Front

What is half-life in the context of chemical reactions?

Back

Half-life is the time required for the concentration of a reactant to decrease to half of its initial concentration. It is a key concept in kinetics.

Front

What is an intermediate in a multi-step reaction?

Back

An intermediate is a species that is formed in one elementary step and consumed in a subsequent step. It does not appear in the overall balanced equation.

Front

How do you determine the overall order of a reaction from its rate law?

Back

The overall order of a reaction is the sum of the powers of the concentration terms in the rate law. For example, in rate = k[A][B]^2, the overall order is 1 (for A) + 2 (for B) = 3.

Front

What effect does increasing temperature have on reaction rates?

Back

Increasing temperature generally increases reaction rates by increasing the number of collisions per second and the energy of the reactants, leading to more effective collisions.

Front

What is the rate constant (k) in a rate law?

Back

The rate constant (k) is a proportionality factor that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentrations of the reactants. It is specific to a given reaction at a specific temperature.

Front

What is the significance of the rate law?

Back

The rate law provides a mathematical relationship between the rate of a reaction and the concentrations of the reactants. It helps in understanding how changes in concentration affect the reaction rate.

Front

What does it mean if a reaction is second order in a reactant?

Back

If a reaction is second order in a reactant, it means that the rate of reaction is proportional to the square of the concentration of that reactant. For example, rate = k[A]^2.

Front

How do you calculate the time required for a sample to decay to a certain amount using half-life?

Back

To calculate the time required for a sample to decay, use the formula: time = (n half-lives) x (half-life duration), where n is the number of half-lives needed to reach the desired amount.

Front

What is the relationship between reaction rate and concentration?

Back

The reaction rate typically increases with an increase in the concentration of reactants, as more reactant molecules lead to a higher frequency of collisions.