Rate of Reaction

The rate of reaction refers to the speed at which the products are formed from
the reactants in a chemical reaction. It gives some insight into the time frame
under which a reaction can be completed. For example, the reaction rate of
the combustion of cellulose in fire is very high and the reaction is completed
in less than a second.
 What is Reaction Rate?

The rate of reaction or reaction rate is the speed at which reactants are converted
into products. When we talk about chemical reactions, it is a given fact that rate
at which they occur varies by a great deal. Some chemical reactions are nearly
instantaneous, while others usually take some time to reach the final equilibrium.
As per the general definition, the speed with which a reaction takes place is
referred to as the rate of a reaction.
For example, wood combustion has a high reaction rate since the process is fast
and rusting of iron has a low reaction rate as the process is slow.
 Measuring Rate of Reactions
The rate of reaction can be found by measuring the amount of product
formed in a certain period of time. The mass of a solid product is often
measured in grams, while the volume of a gaseous product is often measured
in cm3.
The time period chosen may depend upon the rate of the reaction. For
example, it may be a few seconds for a fast reaction or a few minutes for a
slow reaction.
 Measuring the rate where a gas is
produced
Mass
The mass of a substance – solid, liquid or gas – is measured with a balance.
This mass balance could be attached to a data logger to measure the decrease
in mass against time continuously and produce a graph instantly. The data
logger does not make the mass balance any more accurate. Cotton wool is
used in the neck of the flask as it allows the gas to escape.
Measuring the rate where a gas is produced
(Mass)
 Measuring the rate where a gas is
produced
Volume
The volume of a gas is usually measured with a gas syringe (or sometimes
with an upside-down measuring cylinder) when the chemical reaction
produces a gas, eg metal reacting with acid to produce hydrogen.
Measuring the rate where a gas is produced
(Volume)
Graphs
The rate of reaction can be analysed by plotting a graph of amount of
product against time. The graph below shows this for two reactions.
 Graphs
The table shows the results obtained from an experiment of reaction between magnesium
ribbon and dilute sulfuric acid
Magnesium + Sulfuric acid Magnesium sulfate + Hydrogen gas
Mg + H2SO4 MgSO4 + H2

Time in minutes Total Volume of hydrogen gas

produced in cm3
0 0
0.5 25
1 45
1.5 57
2 60
2.5 60
3 60
 Graphs
Magnesium + Sulfuric acid Magnesium sulfate + Hydrogen gas
Mg + H2SO4 MgSO4 + H2
 Graphs

Read page 274-275 for more on using the graph to find out the average
volume of gas given off per second in the period between two times.
 Why does the rate of reaction change?

For chemical reaction to take place, the particles of the reactants involved have
to collide with one another with enough energy to react together.
At the start of the reaction there are a lot of particles that have not reacted.
Collisions happen frequently. As the particles react, the number of particles that
have not reacted gets lower and lower. The chance of two unreacted particles
colliding with each other decrease. This means that the rate of reaction is slower.
Eventually, all the particles have reacted. There are no more collisions that result
in the production of the product. The reaction has finished.