General Chemistry 2 Study Guide – Chemical
Kinetics, Rate Laws & Arrhenius Equation |
Verified Questions Provided with A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Ludwig Wilhelmy
First person to measure rate of a chemical reaction
Rate of Chemical Change
∆ in Concentration / ∆ in Time
Polarimetry, Spectroscopy, Pressure Measurement
Three ways to measure a change in concentration
Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, titration
Methods used to measure slow reactions with aliquots
k Rate Constant
constant of proportionality
ⁿ Reaction Order
determines how the rate depends on the concentration of the reactant
Zero Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is independent of the concentration of the reactant
First Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reaction
Second Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is proportional to the square of the concentration of the reactant
Experiment
Rate law for any reaction must always be determined
integrated rate law
,relationship between the concentrations of the reactants and time
half life
time required for the concentration of a reactant to fall to one-half of its initial value
negative, positive
Rate of reaction for reactants is ______ while product rate is ______
...
Explain the difference between average rate of reaction and instantaneous rate?
Arrhenius Equation
rate law
The rate of the reaction and the concentration of the reactant
rate law equation
Rate = k [A]ⁿ
usually M / s
concentration (of reactant or product) per unit time
reactant concentration
impacts the reaction rates
zero order reaction
rate is independent of the concentration of the reactant.
first order reaction
rate is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactant
second order reaction
rate is proportional to the square of the concentration of the reactant
rate law
shows the relationship between the rate and the concentrations of each reactant
concentration
[A]
, zero order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]⁰ = k
first order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]¹
second order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]²
Rate law for multiple reactants
Rate = k[A]^n[B]^m (as long as the reverse reaction is slow)
overall order
sum of the exponents m + n
integrated rate law
a relationship between the concentrations of the reactants and time
first order integrated rate law equation
ln[A]t = -kt + ln[A]₀
second order integrated rate law equation
1/[A]t = kt + 1/[A]₀
zero order inegrated rate law equation
[A]t = -kt + [A]₀
first order reaction half life equation
t½ = 0.693/k
second order reaction half life equation
t½ = 1/k[A]₀
zero order reaction half life equation
t½ = [A]₀/2k
Arrhenius equation
shows the relationship between the rate constant k and the temperature T in kelvins
Kinetics, Rate Laws & Arrhenius Equation |
Verified Questions Provided with A+ Graded
Rationales Latest Updated 2026
Ludwig Wilhelmy
First person to measure rate of a chemical reaction
Rate of Chemical Change
∆ in Concentration / ∆ in Time
Polarimetry, Spectroscopy, Pressure Measurement
Three ways to measure a change in concentration
Gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, titration
Methods used to measure slow reactions with aliquots
k Rate Constant
constant of proportionality
ⁿ Reaction Order
determines how the rate depends on the concentration of the reactant
Zero Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is independent of the concentration of the reactant
First Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reaction
Second Order Reaction
rate of the reaction is proportional to the square of the concentration of the reactant
Experiment
Rate law for any reaction must always be determined
integrated rate law
,relationship between the concentrations of the reactants and time
half life
time required for the concentration of a reactant to fall to one-half of its initial value
negative, positive
Rate of reaction for reactants is ______ while product rate is ______
...
Explain the difference between average rate of reaction and instantaneous rate?
Arrhenius Equation
rate law
The rate of the reaction and the concentration of the reactant
rate law equation
Rate = k [A]ⁿ
usually M / s
concentration (of reactant or product) per unit time
reactant concentration
impacts the reaction rates
zero order reaction
rate is independent of the concentration of the reactant.
first order reaction
rate is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactant
second order reaction
rate is proportional to the square of the concentration of the reactant
rate law
shows the relationship between the rate and the concentrations of each reactant
concentration
[A]
, zero order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]⁰ = k
first order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]¹
second order reaction equation
Rate = k[A]²
Rate law for multiple reactants
Rate = k[A]^n[B]^m (as long as the reverse reaction is slow)
overall order
sum of the exponents m + n
integrated rate law
a relationship between the concentrations of the reactants and time
first order integrated rate law equation
ln[A]t = -kt + ln[A]₀
second order integrated rate law equation
1/[A]t = kt + 1/[A]₀
zero order inegrated rate law equation
[A]t = -kt + [A]₀
first order reaction half life equation
t½ = 0.693/k
second order reaction half life equation
t½ = 1/k[A]₀
zero order reaction half life equation
t½ = [A]₀/2k
Arrhenius equation
shows the relationship between the rate constant k and the temperature T in kelvins
