Physical Chemistry - Exam 2 Statements

Le’ Chatelier Principle

If a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it shifts to counteract the change.

Overall order of a reaction

Sum of the exponents in the rate law, indicating the reaction's dependence on reactant concentrations.

Transition state theory

Reactions pass through a high-energy transition state before forming products.

Activation energy

The minimum energy required for a reaction to occur.

Potential energy surface

Graph showing how potential energy changes with atomic or molecular positions during a reaction.

Stead-state approximation

Assumes the concentration of intermediates remains constant during a reaction.

Arrhenius equation

Describes how the rate constant depends on temperature and activation energy.

Half-life of a reaction

Time taken for half of the reactants to be converted into products.

Mean free path

Average distance a molecule travels before colliding with another.