Kinetics

Rate of reaction

The change in concentration of a reactant or product per unit time.

Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution

A distribution showing the range of kinetic energies of particles in a gas at a given temperature.

Activation energy

Minimum energy that colliding particles must have for a reaction to occur.

Successful collision

A collision between particles that has energy equal to or greater than the activation energy and the correct orientation, resulting in reaction.

Heterogeneous catalyst

A catalyst in a different physical state from the reactants.

Homogeneous catalyst

A catalyst in the same physical state as the reactants.

Rate constant (k)

The constant of proportionality in the rate equation at a given temperature.

Elementary step

A single step in a reaction mechanism involving a small number of particles.

Rate determining step

The slowest step in a reaction mechanism that determines the overall rate of reaction.