--%>

Describe First Order Rate Equation

The integrated forms of the first order rate equations are conveniently used to compare concentration time results with this rate equation.

Rate equations show the dependence of the rate of the reaction on concentration can be integrated to give expressions for the dependence of the concentrations on time. We generally use the integrated rate equation that is obtained to deduce the order of a reaction.

A first order reaction is one for which, at a given temperature, the rate of the reaction depends only on the first power of the concentration of a single reacting species. If the concentrations of this species is represented by c (for solutions, the units of moles per litre are ordinarily used), and if the volume of the system remains essentially constant during the course of the reaction, the first order rate equation can be written

-dc/dt = kc

The rate of constant k is then a positive quantity and has the units of the reciprocal of time.

Integrated rate equation: the experimental results obtained in a study of the rate of a reaction are usually values of c or some related to c at various times. Such data can best be compared with the integrated form of the first order rate equation. If the concentration at time t = 0 is c0, and if at some later time t the concentration has fallen to c, the integration gives

481_First order reactions.png 

With -In (c/c0) = In (c0/c), the integration can be written as

In c0/c = kt

Sometimes a more convenient form is

In c = -kt + In c0

A reaction can therefore be said to be first order if a plot of In (c0/c) or In c versus t gives a straight line. If a straight line is obtained, the slope of the line can be used to give the value of the rate constant k. an alternative to this graphical procedure is the calculation of a value of kfrom the individual measurements of c at the various times t, for example. The reaction is classified as first order if all the data lead to essentially the same values for k, that is, if it is satisfies with k as a constant.

Example: the rate of conversion of tert-butyl bromide to tert-butyl alcohol, (CH3)3CBr + H2O 1598_First order reactions1.png (CH3)3COH + HBr, has been studied and some concentration-time results are found in table given below. Verify that the reaction is first order, and deduce the values of the rate constant at the two temperatures.

Solution: from the data at each temperature we calculate In (c0/c) values. Then the graphical display shows a plot of In (c0/c) versus t is constructed. The straight lines, each going through the origin show that at both temperatures the data conform to the integrated first order relation. The slopes give the values of the rate constants 

K = 0.00082 min-1 = 0.137 × 10-4 s-1 [25°C]    

K = 0.0142 min-1 = 2.37 × 10-4 s-1 [50°C]    


Concentration of tert butyl bromide as a function of time for the reaction (CH3)3CBr + H2O 1598_First order reactions1.png (CH3)3COH + HBr in a 10% water, 90% acetone solvent

At 25°C  At 50°C
Time, h (CH3)3CBr, Mol L-1 Time, min (CH3)3CBr, Mol L-1
0 0.1039 0 0.1056
3.15 0.0896 9 0.0961
6.20 0.0776 18 0.0856
10.0 0.0639 27 0.0767
13.5 0.0529 40 0.0645
18.3 0.0353 54 0.0536
26.0 0.0270 72 0.0432
30.8 0.0207 105 0.0270
37.3 0.0142 135 0.0174
43.8 0.0101 180 0.0089

   Related Questions in Chemistry

  • Q : What are heterogenous catalysis? Give

    When the catalyst exists in a different phase than that of reactants, it is said to be heterogeneous catalyst, and the catalysis is called heterogeneous catalysis. For example, SO2 can be oxidized to SO3

  • Q : What are aliphatic amines and its

    In common system, the aliphatic amines are named by using prefix for alkyl group followed by the word amine.In case of mixed amines, the name of alkyl groups are arranged in alphabetical order. This is followed by the word amine. However, for simple secondary or tertiary amines anothe

  • Q : Question based on strength of solution

    Help me to go through this problem. On dissolving 1 mole of each of the following acids in 1 litre water, the acid which does not give a solution of strength 1N is: (a) HCl (b) Perchloric acid (c) HNO3 (d) Phosphoric acid

  • Q : What are homogenous catalyst? Give few

    When a catalyst mixes homogeneously with the reactants and forms a single phase, the catalyst is said to be homogeneous and this type of catalysis is called homogeneous catalysis. Some more examples of homogeneous catalysis are:    SO2

  • Q : Relative lowering of vapour pressure

    Which of the following solutions will have a lower vapour pressure and why? a) A 5% aqueous solution of cane sugar. b) A 5% aqueous solution of urea.

  • Q : Normality of solution containing

    Can someone please help me in getting through this problem. Determine the normality of a solution having 4.9 gm H3PO4 dissolved in 500 ml water: (a) 0.3  (b) 1.0  (c) 3.0   (d) 0.1

  • Q : Unit of molality Select the right

    Select the right answer of the question. The unit of molality is: (a) Mole per litre (b) Mole per kilogram (c) Per mole per litre (d) Mole litre

  • Q : What is depression in freezing point?

    Freezing point of a substance is the temperature at which solid and liquid phases of the substance coexist. It is defined as the temperature at which its solid and liquid phases have the same vapour pressure. The freezing point o

  • Q : Concentration factor affected by

    Can someone please help me in getting through this problem. Which of the given concentration factor is affected by the change in temperature: (1) Molarity (2) Molality (3) Mole fraction (4) Weight fraction

  • Q : What is laser and explain its working?

    Laser action relies on a non-Boltzmann population inversion formed by the absorption of radiation and vibrational deactivation that forms a long lived excited electronic state. An excited state molecule can move to a lower energy state or return to the