8.

Kinetics

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 8.1a Collision Theory
Learning Objectives
1.Understand that reactions can only occur
when collisions take place between particles
having sufficient energy
2.Define the term “activation energy”
3.Understand that most reactions do not lead
to a reaction
What does rate of reaction mean?
The speed of different chemical reactions varies hugely.
Some reactions are very fast and others are very slow.
The speed of a reaction is called the rate of the reaction.
What is the rate of these reactions?
rusting baking explosion

slow fast very fast

Rates of reaction
Why are some reactions faster than others?
Reactions, particles and collisions
Reactions take place when particles collide with a
certain amount of energy.

The minimum amount of energy needed for the particles

to react is called the activation energy, and is different
for each reaction.

The rate of a reaction depends on two things:

 the frequency of collisions between particles

 the energy with which particles collide.

If particles collide with less energy than the activation

energy, they will not react. The particles will just bounce
off each other.
 Not all collisions result in a reaction

1. Particles may not

collide with
enough energy
(activation energy)
2. Particles may not
collide with the
correct orientation.
• Collision Theory
Not all collisions result in a reaction
Review

• The rate of reaction depends on what two

factors?
• Describe collision theory.
• Describe the term “activation energy”.
• Why is it that most collisions do not result
in a reaction?
What is a chemical reaction?
A chemical reaction is a change that takes place
when one or more substances (called reactants)
form one or more new substances (called
products).
reactants products
For example:

+ 

carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide

Chemical Energy

• All molecules store chemical energy in the

chemical bonds.
• Molecules held together by bonds 
takes energy to break

+ 

carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide

What is a chemical reaction?

Usually two parts to a chemical reaction:

1.Breaking of chemical bonds.
2.Formation of new bonds.

+ 

carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide

Energy

Usually two parts to a chemical reaction:

1.Breaking of chemical bonds  Takes
Energy
2.Formation of new bonds  Give Out
Energy

+ 

carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide

Endothermic vs. Exothermic

• Endothermic = requires energy, process

absorbs energy

• Exothermic = gives out energy, process

releases energy
(think exo like exit)
Making and breaking chemical bonds
Most chemicals will break up (decompose) if they are
heated strongly enough. This means that energy is needed
to break chemical bonds – an endothermic process.
energy

absorbed

Because bond-breaking is endothermic, bond-making must

therefore be exothermic. This means that energy is
released when chemical bonds are made.

energy

released
Activation Energy

• Activation energy = energy needed to

start the reaction (break bonds)

• High activation energy = need to put in a

LOT of energy (strong bonds)
• Low activation energy = little energy
needed, weak bonds
Enthalpy Profile Diagram
Review

• What are the two steps in a chemical

reaction?
• Which absorbs energy? Which releases
energy?
• What do the terms “Exothermic” and
“Endothermic” mean?
Overall Reaction

Endothermic Reactions
Energy absorbed (activation) > Energy
released
 Overall energy absorbed (feels cold)

Exothermic Reactions
Energy absorbed (activation) < Energy released
 Overall energy released (feels hot)
 Exothermic
Exothermic reactions
reactions
1.An exothermic reaction is one which
releases heat energy to the
surroundings
2.The temperature of the
surroundings increases
3.The energy released from forming
new bonds is greater than the
energy needed to break old bonds
Exothermic
Exothermicreactions
reactions
Exothermic reactions
Exothermic reactions release thermal energy (heat)
into their surroundings. Exothermic reactions can
occur spontaneously and some are explosive.

What are some examples?

 combustion
 respiration
 neutralization of acids
with alkalis
 reactions of metals with
acids
 the Thermit Process.
 Endothermic
Endothermic reactions
reactions
1.An endothermic reaction is on which
takes in heat energy from the
surroundings
2.The temperature of the surroundings
decreases
3.The energy needed to break old bonds
is greater than the energy released from
forming new bonds
Endothermic
Endothermicreactions
reactions
Endothermic reactions
Endothermic reactions absorb thermal energy, and so
cause a decrease in temperature.

What are some examples?

 thermal
decomposition, e.g.
calcium carbonate in
a blast furnace
 photosynthesis
 some types of
electrolysis
 sherbet!
Exothermic
Exothermicreactions
reactions
Endothermic
Endothermicreactions
reactions
 8.1b Rates of Reaction
Learning Objectives
1.Understand the effect of temperature on rate
of reaction.
2.Understand the effect of concentration on
rate of reaction.
Changing the rate of reactions
Anything that increases the number of successful collisions
between reactant particles will speed up a reaction.

What factors affect the rate of reactions?

 increased temperature

 increased concentration of
dissolved reactants, and increased
pressure of gaseous reactants

 increased surface area of solid

reactants

 use of a catalyst.
Temperature and collisions
How does temperature affect the rate of particle collision?
Effect of temperature on rate

Higher temperature = higher rate of reaction

Why does increased temperature
increase the rate of reaction?
•higher temperature = more energy
•more energy = faster particles
•faster particles = more frequent
collisions
 more successful collisions =
more reactions.
Also...
more total energy = more
collision with enough Ea (more
forceful collisions.
Temperature and particle collisions
Temperature and batteries
Why are batteries more likely to rundown more quickly in
cold weather?

At low temperatures the

reaction that generates the
electric current proceeds
more slowly than at higher
temperatures.

This means batteries are

less likely to deliver enough
current to meet demand.
 How does temperature affect rate?
The reaction between sodium thiosulfate and hydrochloric
acid produces sulfur.

sodium hydrochloric sodium sulfur

thiosulfate + acid
 chloride + dioxide + sulfur + water

Na2S2O3 2HCl 2NaCl SO2 S H2O

(aq)
+ (aq)

(aq) + (g)
+ (s) + (l)

Sulfur is solid and so it turns the solution cloudy.

How can this fact be used to measure the effect of

temperature on rate of reaction?
The effect of temperature on rate
Effect of concentration on rate of reaction

higher the concentration = faster rate of a reaction

Why does increased concentration increase the rate of
reaction?
• higher concentration = more particles
• more likely to collide  more likely to react.

lower concentration higher concentration

Concentration and particle collisions
The effect of concentration on rate
Effect of pressure on rate of reaction
Why does increasing the pressure of gaseous reactants
increase the rate of reaction?
As the pressure increases, the space in which the gas
particles are moving becomes smaller.
The gas particles become closer together, increasing the
frequency of collisions. This means that the particles are more
likely to react.

lower pressure higher pressure

Effect of surface area on rate of reaction
Any reaction involving a solid can only take place at the
surface of the solid.
If the solid is split into several pieces, the surface area
increases. What effect will this have on rate of reaction?

low surface area high surface area

larger SA = larger area for the reactant particles
to collide with = faster rate of reaction
smaller the pieces = larger the surface area =
more collisions  greater chance of reaction.
Surface area and particle collisions
Reaction between a carbonate and acid
Marble chips are made of calcium carbonate. They react
with hydrochloric acid to produce carbon dioxide.

calcium hydrochloric calcium carbon

carbonate + acid

chloride + water + dioxide

CaCO3 2HCl CaCl2 H2O CO2

+ (aq)
 + +
(aq) (aq) (aq) (g)

The effect of increasing surface area on the rate of reaction

can be measured by comparing how quickly the mass of the
reactants decreases using marble chips of different sizes.
The effect of surface area on rate
 8.2 Maxwell-Boltzman distribution
Learning Objectives
1.Have a qualitative understanding of the
Maxwell-Boltzman distribution of molecular
energies in gases.
2.Be able to draw and interpret distribution
curves for different temperatures.
Maxwell-Boltzman distribution curve
Effect of temperature
 8.3 Catalysts
Learning Objectives
1.Know the meaning of the term catalyst.
2.Understand how catalysts work to increase
the rate of reaction.
 What are catalysts?
Catalysts are substances that change the rate of a reaction
without being used up in the reaction.
Catalysts never produce more product – they just
produce the same amount more quickly.

Ea without
Different catalysts work in
catalyst different ways, but most
energy (kJ)

lower the reaction’s

activation energy (Ea).

Ea with
catalyst

reaction (time)
Effect of catalyst
How does a catalyst speed of a reaction?

• Catalysts provide an alternate reaction

pathway.
• They lower the activation energy
required to start the reaction.
• Catalysts are reformed at the end of the
reaction, they are not used up so are not
considered reactants.
Everyday catalysts
Many catalysts are transition metals or their compounds.
For example:

 Nickel is a catalyst in the production of margarine

(hydrogenation of vegetable oils).

 Iron is a catalyst in the production of ammonia

from nitrogen and hydrogen (the Haber process).

 Platinum is a catalyst in the

catalytic converters of car
exhausts. It catalyzes the
conversion of carbon
monoxide and nitrogen oxide
into the less polluting carbon
dioxide and nitrogen.
Catalysts in industry
Why are catalysts so important for industry?

 Products can be made more

quickly, saving time and money.

 Catalysts reduce the need for

high temperatures, saving fuel
and reducing pollution.

Catalysts are also essential for living cells. Biological

catalysts are special types of protein called enzymes.
Collisions and reactions: summary
 Glossary

 activation energy – The amount of energy needed to

start a reaction.
 catalyst – A substance that increases the rate of a
chemical reaction without being used up.
 concentration – The number of molecules of a
substance in a given volume.
 enzyme – A biological catalyst.
 rate of reaction – The change in the concentration over
a certain period of time.
Anagrams
Rates of reaction: summary
Multiple-choice quiz
Kinetics Quiz
1 Define the term activation energy.
2 Draw, with labelled axes the Maxwell-Boatman
distribution. Label this T1. Draw on the same axes a
curve to represent same sample at lower temperature.
3 Add a label for activation energy.
4 Draw the effect of adding a catalyst.
5 Explain why most collisions do not result in a reaction.
6 Describe three ways to increase the rate of reaction
and explain why using ideas about collision theory.