Lecture on Chemical Kinetics

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts from the lecture on Chemical Kinetics, including rate laws, reaction rates, and the role of catalysts.

Chemical Kinetics

The study of the rates of chemical reactions.

Rate of Reaction

The change of concentration (c) per unit time (t), expressed as rate = Δc/Δt.

Instantaneous Rate

The slope of the tangent line to the curve of concentration vs. time at a specific time.

Average Rate

The change in concentration over a non-zero time interval, but not very useful as it depends on the starting and ending times.

Reaction Stoichiometry

The relationship between the rates of consumption of reactants and the formation of products based on their stoichiometric coefficients.

Rate Law

An equation that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentrations of the reactants raised to specific powers.

Order of Reaction

The exponent to which the concentration of a reactant is raised in the rate law.

Half-Life (t₁₂)

The time required for the concentration of a reactant to decrease by half.

Activation Energy (Ea)

The minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the reaction rate without being consumed in the reaction.