Rate of Reaction

How is the speed of a reaction measured?

Why?
Chemical reactions occur at different speeds. Some are almost instantaneous. Others require patience. For
example, rust can form on iron in just a few days or over a period of months depending on the conditions.
In order to study the factors that change the speed of a reaction, we must first develop an understanding
of how the rate of reaction is monitored during a reaction.

Model 1 – Concentration versus Time Graph

0.900
0.800
0.700
Concentration (M)

0.600
0.500
0.400
0.300
0.200
0.100
0.000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Time (sec)

1. The graph in Model 1 illustrates how the concentration of a species in a chemical reaction
changes over time.
a. What unit is the concentration measured in?
The concentration is measured in molarity.
b. What unit is the time measured in?
The time is measured in seconds.
2. Consider the data in Model 1.
a. What was the concentration of the species when the chemical reaction was initiated?
The initial concentration of the chemical species in the reaction was 0.80 M.
b. Did the concentration of the species increase or decrease over time?
The concentration of the chemical species decreased over time.
c. Was the species a reactant or product in the reaction? Justify your reasoning.
The chemical species was a reactant because it was used up during the reaction. Its concentration
went down.
Rate of Reaction 143
 3. Consider the data in Model 1.
a. What was the change in the concentration of the species in Model 1 during the first 10 sec-
onds of the reaction? Include units in your numeric answer.
In the first 10 seconds, the concentration of the chemical species changed from 0.800 M to
0.525 M. That is a decrease of 0.275 M.
b. What was the change in the concentration of the species in Model 1 between the 60 and 70
second marks? Include units in your numeric answer.
During this time segment, the concentration of the chemical species changed from 0.075 M to
0.0500 M. That is a decrease of 0.025 M.
c. Was the rate of change for this species the same during these two time periods? Justify your
reasoning. If no, in which time period is the rate of change faster?
No, the rate was not the same. The reaction was much faster in the first 10 seconds because a larger
change in the concentration was recorded.

Read This!
The rate of change for a species in a chemical reaction is usually defined as the change in its concentration
over a specific unit of time.
Δ[  ]
rate = ––––
Δt
Depending on the conditions of the reaction, this rate could have the units of molarity per second,
molarity per minute, molarity per hour, etc. Note that the rate of change for a chemical species, and for
the reaction, is rarely constant. As reactants are used up, the rate often slows down. Although this leads
to a curved graph, the average rate between two data points can be approximated using the slope of the
graph between those points.

4. Use the data in Model 1 to calculate the average rate of change for the chemical species shown
for the following time periods during the reaction. Be sure to include units in your calculation.
a. The first 10 seconds.
    0.550 M − 0.800 M   M
–––––––––––––––––– = −0.025 –––
10 sec s
b. The time between 30 and 40 seconds.
   0.15 M − 0.25 M    M
–––––––––––––––– = −0.010 –––
10 sec s
c. The time between 60 and 70 seconds.
    0.050 M − 0.075 M       M
–––––––––––––––––– = −0.0025 –––
10 sec       s
5. The rates you calculated in Question 4 should be negative values. Why does it make sense that
they are negative?
The concentration of the chemical species is decreasing so the rate should reflect that. A negative value
indicates a reduction in the concentration.
144 POGIL™ Activities for AP® Chemistry
Model 2 – Two Species in the Reaction
1.800

1.600

1.400
[A]
Concentration (M)

1.200
[B]
1.000

0.800

0.600

0.400

0.200

0.000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Time (sec)

6. The graph in Model 2 contains the same data as that in Model 1, but data about a second species
in the reaction has been added to the graph.
a. Which line in Model 2 is the same line as in Model 1, the solid or dashed line?
The solid line represents the same data as that in Model 1.
b. Does the new data illustrate the change in concentration of a reactant or product of the reac-
tion? Justify your reasoning.
The new data (the dashed line) represents a product because the concentration is increasing. That
indicates that the species is being formed during the reaction.
7. Use the data in Model 2 to calculate the average rate of change for species B for the following
time periods during the reaction. Be sure to include units and a sign (+ or −) on your calculation.
a. The first 10 seconds.
    0.50 M − 0 M M
–––––––––––––– = 0.050 –––
10 sec s
b. The time between 30 and 40 seconds.
   1.30 M − 1.10 M   M
–––––––––––––––– = 0.020 –––
  10 sec    s
c. The time between 60 and 70 seconds.
   1.50 M − 1.45 M M
–––––––––––––––– = 0.005 –––
10 sec s

Rate of Reaction 145

 8. Summarize the calculations you have performed in the previous questions in the table below.

Δ[A] Δ[B]
–––– ––––
Δt Δt
First 10 seconds −0.025 M/s 0.050 M/s
Between 30 and 40 seconds −0.010 M/s 0.020 M/s
Between 60 and 70 seconds −0.0025 M/s 0.005 M/s

9. Based on the information in the table in Question 8, which chemical reaction best describes the
reaction that was studied for Model 2? Justify your reasoning.
I. 2A → B   II. A → 2B   III. A + B → C   IV. A + 2B → C
Reaction II is the correct representation. Species B is a product, not a reactant. That eliminates reac-
tions III and IV. In the first 10 seconds, species A changes 0.25 M while species B changes 0.50 M.
That indicates a 1:2 ratio between the two species. Two times the amount of B is made when A reacts.

Read This!
Depending on the mole ratios of the components of a chemical reaction, you could observe different rates
of change for different species. How then can one numerical value for the rate of reaction be determined?
By convention, the rate of a reaction is equal to the absolute value of the rate of change for any species
that has a coefficient of one in the balanced reaction as written. Think of it as the time needed for the
reaction to occur 6.022 × 1023 times.

10. Based on the data in Model 2, what is the initial rate of reaction for the chemical process that
was investigated?
According to the options given in Question 9, species A has a coefficient of one. Therefore, the rate of
reaction would be equal to the absolute value of the rate of change for species A.
The rate of reaction is 0.025 M/s.
11. Consider the following reaction:
N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) → 2NH3 (g)
Experimental data indicate the initial rate of change for nitrogen is −0.060 M/s.
a. Calculate the initial rate of change for hydrogen.
mol N 3 mol H2 M
−0.060 ––––––2 –––––––– = −0.180 –––
L • s 1 mol N2 s
b. Calculate the initial rate of change for ammonia.
mol N   −2 mol NH3 M
−0.060 ––––––2 ––––––––––– = 0.120 –––
L•s 1 mol N2 s
c. Calculate the initial rate of reaction.
Since nitrogen has a coefficient of one, the rate of reaction would be equal to the absolute value of
the rate of change for nitrogen. The initial rate of reaction is 0.060 M/s.

146 POGIL™ Activities for AP® Chemistry

 12. The graph below shows the rate of change for hydrogen in the following reaction. Sketch the rate
curves for nitrogen and ammonia. The initial concentration of nitrogen is 0.500 M. There is no
presence of ammonia initially.
N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) → 2NH3 (g)

2.000
1.800 Hydrogen
1.600 Ammonia
1.400 Nitrogen
Concentration (M)

1.200
1.000
0.800
0.600
0.400
0.200
0.000
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Time (sec)

Rate of Reaction 147

Extension Questions
13. In order to gather the data required to produce the graphs in this activity, or any reaction rate
graph, an experimenter must be able to quickly measure changes in concentration, either directly
or indirectly, of at least one component of a chemical reaction. Match the following lab tools
with the situation in which they might be used. If you are not familiar with the instruments
below, use Internet or other resources to determine what the instruments measure.

A. pH meter   C   Used to monitor a reaction that involves a

colored reactant or product.
B. Manometer   E   Used to monitor a reaction that involves a
chiral (optically active) reactant or product.
C. Spectrophotomer   A Used to monitor a reaction that involves an
acidic or basic reactant or product.
D. Thermometer   B Used to monitor a reaction that involves a
gaseous reactant or product.
E. Optical rotation   D Used to monitor a reaction that is exothermic
polarimeter or endothermic, with a known enthalpy.
14. Consider the following reaction:
N2O4 (g) → 2NO2 (g)
The rate of the reaction above can be studied at constant temperature using a pressure probe.
However, the data are complicated due to the presence of two gases.
a. If the reaction vessel initially contained only dinitrogen tetroxide, would you expect an overall
increase or decrease in pressure as the reaction proceeds? Justify your reasoning.
There would be an overall increase in pressure. Although one unit of dinitrogen tetroxide is being
consumed, two units of nitrogen dioxide are being produced. Therefore, a net gain in gaseous moles
and pressure will be measured.
b. Suppose the above reaction showed a NO2 pressure increase in the partial pressure of nitrogen
dioxide of 0.500 kPa in 10 seconds. What would be the change in partial pressure for dinitro-
gen tetroxide in the same time period?
The pressure of dinitrogen tetroxide would decrease 0.250 kPa in the same time period.

148 POGIL™ Activities for AP® Chemistry

 Teacher Resources – Rate of Reaction
Learning Objectives
1. Determine the rate of change for a reactant or product in a chemical reaction by calculating the
average slope between two data points for a reaction curve.
2. Predict the rate of change for the other reactants or products in a chemical reaction when given
the rate of change for one component in the reaction and the balanced chemical equation.

Prerequisites
1. Students must be able to find the slope of a line from a graph.
2. Students must be comfortable with stoichiometric calculations.

Assessment Questions
1. Consider the following reaction: 2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) → 2SO3 (g)
If the initial rate of change for sulfur dioxide is −2.00 M/min, what is the initial rate of change of
oxygen?
a. −4.00 M/min
b. −1.00 M/min
c. 4.00 M/min
d. 1.00 M/min
2. Consider the following reaction: N2 (g) + 3Cl2 (g) → 2NCl3 (g)
If the rate of reaction is 0.750 M/s, what is the rate of change of chlorine?
a. 0.250 M/s
b. 2.250 M/s
c. −0.250 M/s
d. −2.250 M/s
3. Consider the following rate graph. Write a chemical equation for the reaction that was investi-
gated based on the rates of change for each species in the reaction.
1.500
Concentration (M)

1.300
A
1.100
B
0.900 C
0.700
0.500
0.300
0.100
−0.100
0 5 10 15 20 25
Time (sec)

Rate of Reaction 149

Assessment Target Responses
1. b
2. d
3. 3A + B → 6C

Teacher Tips
• Before you begin this activity with students, make sure they have a solid understanding of what
is meant by “rate.” Ask them to write the units that might be used to measure the rate (speed) of
a vehicle, the growth of a tree, a leaky faucet or how fast they read. Emphasize that in all cases
something is measured versus time. The unit of time may change depending on how fast or slow
the rate is. For example, tree growth is probably measured “per year” while reading may be mea-
sured “per minute.” Ask students how they might measure the rate of a chemical reaction.
• Students often have difficulty knowing when to multiply or divide by a coefficient in a chemical
reaction when trying to determine the rate of change of one species from another. It may help to
point out that they can use the mole ratio between species as a conversion factor for the rate of
change.
• It is also confusing to many students why the rate of a reaction would be defined as the absolute
value of the rate of change for a chemical with a coefficient of one. What if there is no species in
the reaction with a coefficient of one? Emphasize that you are finding the rate in which the reac-
tion occurs 6.022 × 10 23 times. Students can once again use the mole ratio between moles of a
reactant or product and moles of the reaction—the coefficient of the reaction always being one.
Example: N2 (g) + 3H2 (g) → 2NH3 (g)
Calculate the rate of reaction if the rate of change for hydrogen is 0.120 M/s.
 0.120 mol N2 1 mol Rxn M
––––––––––– ––––––––– = 0.040 –––
       s     3 mol H2 s

Alignment with AP® Chemistry Framework

• Essential Knowledge 4.A.1: The rate of a reaction is influenced by the concentration or pressure
of reactants, the phase of the reactants and products, and environmental factors such as tempera-
ture and solvent.
Learning Objective 4.1 The student is able to design and/or interpret the results of an exper-
iment regarding the factors (i.e., temperature, concentration, surface area) that may influence
the fate of a reaction.

150 POGIL™ Activities for AP® Chemistry