Introduction to Kinetics and Equilibria

KineticsSign up

understand, in terms of the collision theory, the effect of changes in concentration, temperature, pressure and surface area on the rate of a chemical reaction · understand that reactions take place only when collisions have sufficient energy, known as the activation energy · be able to calculate the rate of a reaction from: (i) the time taken for a reaction, using rate = 1/time; (ii) the gradient of a suitable graph, by drawing a tangent, either for initial rate, or at a time, t · understand qualitatively, in terms of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies, how changes in temperature affect the rate of a reaction · understand the role of catalysts in providing alternative reaction routes of lower activation energy · be able to draw the reaction profiles for uncatalysed and catalysed reactions, including the energy level of the intermediate formed with the catalyst · understand the use of catalysts in industry to make processes more sustainable by using less energy and/or higher atom economy · be able to interpret the action of a catalyst in terms of a qualitative understanding of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of molecular energies

EquilibriaSign up

know that many reactions are readily reversible and that they can reach a state of dynamic equilibrium in which: (i) the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the backward reaction; (ii) the concentrations of the reactants and the products remain constant · be able to predict and justify the qualitative effects of changes of temperature, pressure and concentration on the position of equilibrium in a homogeneous system · evaluate data to explain the necessity, for many industrial processes, to reach a compromise between the yield and the rate of reaction