Measuring rates of a chemical reaction

Rate of a chemical reaction can be measured by MEASURING the AMOUNT OF REACTANT used or the AMOUNT OF PRODUCT FORMED over TIME.

Rate of reaction = amount of reactant used / time

Rate of reaction = amount of product formed / time

Chemical reactions can only occur when reacting particles collide with each other and with sufficient energy. The MINIMUM amount of energy particles must have to react is called the ACTIVATION ENERGY.

Factors affecting the rate of reaction are:

Temperature, Concentration, Pressure and Surface area.

Temperature:

Advantage: an increase in temperature = increase in speed of particles so they collide more frequently and energetically due to an increase in kinetic energy.

Disadvantage: Costs money

Concentration:

Adv = An increase in concentration increases the NUMBER of particles in a given solution = increase in frequency of successful collisions

Disadv = Costs money

Pressure  = An increase in pressure means that the particles of gas are CLOSER together and a smaller volume for gas partciles to occupy, which increases the frequency of collisions.

Surface area:

An increase in surface area = increase in frequency of collisions.