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The Rate and Extent of Chemical Change
infoWhy this? This unit shows pupils how and why reactions happen at different speeds and to different extents, using collision theory and equilibrium to explain and control chemical processes.
scheduleWhy now? It follows chemical reactions and energy changes because pupils first need secure examples of reactions before analysing what affects how fast they happen or whether they reverse.
neurologyYou need to know
- The rate of reaction is the change in the amount of a reactant used up or product formed per unit time.
- Rate of reaction can be calculated.
- The units for rate of reaction depend on the quantities measured, such as grams per second, cubic centimetres per second, or moles per second.
- The quantity of product formed usually increases quickly at first, then more slowly, and finally becomes constant when the reaction has finished.
- The quantity of reactant used up usually decreases quickly at first, then more slowly, and finally becomes constant when the reaction has finished.
- The gradient of a curve on a reaction graph shows the rate of reaction at that time; a steeper gradient means a faster rate.
- A tangent to a curve can be used to estimate the rate of reaction at a specific time by calculating the tangent's gradient.
- For a reaction to happen, reactant particles must collide with enough energy to overcome the activation energy.
- Increasing temperature increases the rate of reaction because particles have more kinetic energy, collide more often, and a greater proportion of collisions have enough energy to react.
- Increasing concentration of a solution or pressure of a gas increases the rate of reaction because there are more particles in a given volume, so collisions happen more often.
- Increasing the surface area of a solid reactant increases the rate of reaction because more particles are exposed for collisions.
- A catalyst increases the rate of reaction without being used up in the reaction, so it is not included as a reactant or product in the chemical equation.
- Catalysts increase the rate of reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.
- A reversible reaction is a reaction in which the products can react to reform the original reactants.
- A reversible reaction is represented in a chemical equation using the symbol ⇌.
- If a reversible reaction is exothermic in one direction, it is endothermic in the opposite direction, and the same amount of energy is transferred in reverse.
- Equilibrium is reached in a closed system when the forward and reverse reactions occur at the same rate, so the amounts of reactants and products remain constant.
- In a closed system at equilibrium, changing temperature, pressure, or concentration can change the relative amounts of reactants and products.
- If the concentration of a reactant is increased, the equilibrium shifts to make more products; if the concentration of a product is increased, the equilibrium shifts to make more reactants.
- For gaseous reactions at equilibrium, increasing pressure shifts the equilibrium towards the side with fewer moles of gas, while increasing temperature shifts the equilibrium in the endothermic direction.
rocket_launchYou must be able to
- Collect rate of reaction data by measuring the change in mass, volume of gas produced, or change in colour or turbidity at regular time intervals.
- Calculate the mean rate of reaction from a table or graph by dividing the total quantity of reactant used or product formed by the total time taken.
- Plot a reaction rate graph with time on the x-axis and quantity of product formed or reactant used on the y-axis, using suitable scales and accurate points.
- Interpret reaction rate graphs by comparing gradients, identifying when the reaction is fastest, and recognising when the reaction has finished.
- Draw a tangent to a curve at a specified time, then calculate its gradient.
- Calculate a rate of reaction in mol/s when the amount of reactant used or product formed is given in moles.
- Explain the effect of temperature, concentration, pressure, surface area, and catalysts on rate using collision frequency and activation energy.
- Identify a catalyst in a reaction from evidence that it increases the rate and is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.
- Write reversible reaction equations using `⇌` and describe the forward and reverse reactions.
- Predict qualitatively how changes in temperature, pressure, or concentration affect the position of equilibrium using the information given about the reaction.
Revision Quiz
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