ORDER OF A REACTION

The dependence of the reaction rates on concentration may be

expressed in terms of order of a reaction. For calculating order of a
reaction we must have to do experiments to find the dependence of a
reaction rate on the concentration of each individual reactant at a
given temperature. The order of a reaction can be defined as: the sum
of the powers to which the concentration terms are raised in the rate
law expression. Take a general equation aA +bB +cC → products
Rate law is given by

Rate= -dx/dt = k [A]p [B]q [C]r

Then, the order of the reaction, n, is: n = p + q + r

Where p,q and r are the order with respect to individual reactants
and overall order of a reaction is sum of these components,
i.e.,p+q+r.
When = 1, the reaction is first order, if 2 the reaction is said to be
second order reaction and so on.

Some examples of reaction of different orders

a) Reactions of first order

i) Decomposition of nitrogen penta-oxide (N2O5)

N2O5 (g) → 2NO2 (9) +1/2 O2 (g)

Rate = k [N2O5]

ii) Decomposition of ammonium nitrite in aqueous solution

NH4NO2 → N2 +2H2O

Rate = k [NH4 NO2]

iii) Decomposition of H2O2 in the presence of I- ions

H2O2 → H2O + ½ O2
Rate = k [H2O2]

b) Reactions second order of

i) Decomposition of nitrogen peroxide

2NO2 → 2 NO +O2

Rate =k [NO] 2

Order of reaction=2

ii) Reaction between H2 and I2to give HI

H2+I2 2 HI

Rate = k [H2][I2]

Order of reaction=2

c) Reactions of Third order Reactions

i) Reaction between nitric oxide and oxygen

2NO + O2 → 2NO2

Rate =k [NO] 2 [O2]

Order of reaction=2

ii) Reaction between nitric oxide and Cl2

 2NO + Cl2 → 2NOCl

Rate = k [NO] 2 [Cl2]

Order of reaction =2

d) Reactions of fractional order

i) Decomposition of acetaldehyde is a fractional order

reaction

ii) CH3CHO → CH4 + CO

Rate =k [CH3CHO] 3/2, Order = 3/2 or 1.5

ii) The reaction between hydrogen and bromine to form

hydrogen
bromide is fractional order reaction.

H2 (g) + Br2 (g) →2HBr

Rate = k [H2][Br2] ½

Order of reaction =1+1/2 =3/2

e) Zero order reaction

A zero order reaction is that in which rate of a reaction is

independent of the concentration of the reactant species.

i) Decomposition of ammonia is zero order reaction

2NH3 (g) → (g) N2 +3 H2

It has been observed that the rate of a reaction is independent

of the
Concentration of ammonia, i.e.,
Rate = -dx/dt = k [NH3] 0 or rate = k

Order of such type of reactions is =0