CHP 4: Chemical Kinetics Flashcards

Flashcards covering vocabulary terms related to rates of reaction and chemical kinetics.

Rate of Reaction

The speed at which a chemical reaction proceeds, indicating how quickly reactants are converted into products.

Collision Theory

A theoretical model stating that molecules, atoms, or ions must collide with sufficient energy to form products.

Effective Collision

A collision that leads to the formation of products.

Ineffective Collision

A collision that does not lead to the formation of products.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy required to transform reactants into an activated complex.

Concentration

The amount of a substance in a defined space. Increasing concentration generally increases the rate of reaction.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the molecules in a substance. Increasing temperature usually increases the reaction rate.

Surface Area

The total area of the surface of a particle. Increased surface area leads to faster reaction rates, especially in heterogeneous reactions.

Pressure

The force exerted per unit area. Increasing pressure can increase the rate of reaction, particularly in gaseous systems.

Nature of Reactants

The inherent properties of reactants that affect reaction rates. Reactions are faster if reactants are in the same state (homogeneous).

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process by providing an alternate route with lower activation energy.

Kinetic Energy

The energy possessed by a particle due to its motion.

Threshold Energy

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur, also known as activation energy.

Homogeneous Reaction

A chemical reaction where the reactants are in the same phase.

Heterogeneous Reaction

A chemical reaction where the reactants are in different phases.

Activated Complex

The intermediate structure formed during a chemical reaction when reactants collide with sufficient energy, representing the transition state between reactants and products.

Successful Collision

A collision that meets BOTH the correct orientation AND enough energy to overcome activation energy.

Rate

Measures any change over time.

Stoichiometry

The calculation of relative quantities of reactants and products in chemical reactions.

Chemical Kinetics

The study of the rates of chemical processes.