Half order reaction, rate expression, characteristic

Even for more complicated reactions, the linear half-life expression is a good approximation for short times. Second-order reactions have a characteristic time of 1/kC, and a general time constant for higher-order reactions can be defined l/kC" . The concepts of rate and characteristic time are used interchangeably throughout the chapter. 

For first-order reactions in closed vessels, the half-life is independent of the initial reactant concentration. Defining characteristic times for second- and third-order reactions is somewhat complicated in that concentration units appear in the reaction rate constant k. Integrated expressions are available in standard references (e.g., Capellos and Bielski, 1980 Laidler, 1987 Moore and Pearson, 1981). 

Rate Laws Experimental measurement of the rate leads to the rate law for the reaction, which expresses the rate in terms of the rate constant and the concentrations of the reactants. The dependence of rate on concentrations gives the order of a reaction. A reaction can be described as zero order if the rate does not depend on the concentration of the reactant, or first order if it depends on the reactant raised to the first power. Higher orders and fractional orders are also known. An important characteristic of reaction rates is the time required for the concentration of a reactant to decrease to half of its initial concentration, called the half-life. For first-order reactions, the half-hfe is independent of the initial concentration. 

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