Simple Rate Equations

In Section 1.2 we distinguished between elementary and complex reactions. We now make a distinction between simple and complicated rate equations. A simple rate equation has the form of Eq. (1-11). A complicated rate equation has a form different from Eq. (1-11) it may be a sum of terms like that in (1-11), or it may have quantities in the denominator. We have seen that there is no necessary relationship between the complexity of the reaction and the form of the experimental rate equation. Simple rate equations are treated in Chapter 2 and complicated rate equations in Chapter 3. 

The modification of the surface force apparatus (see Fig. VI-4) to measure viscosities between crossed mica cylinders has alleviated concerns about surface roughness. In dynamic mode, a slow, small-amplitude periodic oscillation was imposed on one of the cylinders such that the separation x varied by approximately 10% or less. In the limit of low shear rates, a simple equation defines the viscosity as a function of separation... 

If the same measurement is repeated for different [BJ it should be possible to extractjy by plotting log vs log [BJ. This should be a straight line with slopejy. In a similar manner, can be obtained by varying [CJ. At the same time the assumption that x equals 1 is confirmed. Ideally, a variety of permutations should be tested. Even if xis not 1, and the integrated rate equation is not a simple exponential, a usefiil simplification stiU results from flooding all components except one. 

As with the case of energy input, detergency generally reaches a plateau after a certain wash time as would be expected from a kinetic analysis. In a practical system, each of its numerous components has a different rate constant, hence its rate behavior generally does not exhibit any simple pattern. Many attempts have been made to fit soil removal (50) rates in practical systems to the usual rate equations of physical chemistry. The rate of soil removal in the Launder-Ometer could be reasonably well described by the equation of a first-order chemical reaction, ie, the rate was proportional to the amount of removable soil remaining on the fabric (51,52). In a study of soil removal rates from artificially soiled fabrics in the Terg-O-Tometer, the percent soil removal increased linearly with the log of cumulative wash time. 

Alth ough the equihbrium constant can be evaluated in terms of kinetic data, it is usually found independently so as to simplify finding the other constants of the rate equation. With known, the correct exponents of Eq. (7-64) can be found by choosing trial sets until /ci comes out approximately constant. When the exponents are small integers or simple fractious, this process is not overly laborious. 

In some cases, the exponent is unity. In other cases, the simple power law is only an approximation for an actual sequence of reactions. For instance, the chlorination of toluene catalyzed by acids was found to have CL = 1.15 at 6°C (43°F) and 1.57 at 32°C (90°F), indicating some complex mechanism sensitive to temperature. A particular reaction may proceed in the absence of catalyst out at a reduced rate. Then the rate equation may be... 

A brief overview of the form for rate equations reveals that temperature and concentration e Tects are strongly interwoven. This is so even if all four basic steps in the rules of Boudart (1968) are obeyed for the elementary steps. The expectations of simple unchanging temperature effects and strict even-numbered gas concentration dependencies of rate are not justified. 

Composition affeets the rate of reaetion by fitting a simple expression to the data as shown in Eigure 3-3. The eoneentration dependent term is found by guessing the rate equation, and seeing whether or not it fits the data. 

It is important to realize that a rate and a rate constant are different quantities. However, for a simple rate equation, this interpretation can be given to the rate constant k is the number of moles per liter reacting per unit time when all concentrations are one molar. This interpretation is the basis of the synonym specific rate for the rate constant. 

This ability to reduce the reaction order by maintaining one or more concentrations constant is a veiy valuable experimental tool, for it often permits the simplification of the reaction kinetics. It may even allow a complicated rate equation to be transformed into a simple rate equation. 

In Chapter 1 we distinguished between elementary (one-step) and complex (multistep reactions). The set of elementary reactions constituting a proposed mechanism is called a kinetic scheme. Chapter 2 treated differential rate equations of the form V = IccaCb -., which we called simple rate equations. Chapter 3 deals with many examples of complicated rate equations, namely, those that are not simple. Note that this distinction is being made on the basis of the form of the differential rate equation. 

Evidently simple first-order behavior is predicted, the reactant concentration decaying exponentially with time toward its equilibrium value. In this case a complicated differential rate equation leads to a simple integrated form. The experi-... 

Choice of initial conditions. To give a very obvious example, in Chapter 2 we saw that a second-order reaction A -I- B —> products could be run with the initial conditions Ca = cb, thus permitting a very simple plotting form to be used. For complex reactions, it may be possible to obtain a usable integrated rate equation if the initial concentrations are in their stoichiometric ratio. 

Linear differential equations with constant coefficients can be solved by a mathematical technique called the Laplace transformation . Systems of zero-order or first-order reactions give rise to differential rate equations of this type, and the Laplaee transformation often provides a simple solution. 

To take the inverse Laplace transform means to reverse the process of taking the transform, and for this purpose a table of transforms is valuable. To illustrate, we consider a simple first-order reaction, whose differential rate equation is... 

This procedure constitutes an application of the steady-state approximation [also called the quasi-steady-state approximation, the Bodenstein approximation, or the stationary-state hypothesis]. It is a powerful method for the simplification of complicated rate equations, but because it is an approximation, it is not always valid. Sometimes the inapplicability of the steady-state approximation is easily detected for example, Eq. (3-143) predicts simple first-order behavior, and significant deviation from this behavior is evidence that the approximation cannot be applied. In more complex systems the validity of the steady-state approximation may be difficult to assess. Because it is an approximation in wide use, much critical attention has been directed to the steady-state hypothesis. 

To develop the ideas we take the simple first-order rate equation as an example, namely, dddt = —kc. Let c = y, t = x, so... 

Much of the study of kinetics constitutes a study of catalysis. The first goal is the determination of the rate equation, and examples have been given in Chapters 2 and 3, particularly Section 3.3, Model Building. The subsection following this one describes the dependence of rates on pH, and most of this dependence can be ascribed to acid—base catalysis. Here we treat a very simple but widely applicable method for the detection and measurement of general acid-base or nucleophilic catalysis. We consider aqueous solutions where the pH and p/f concepts are well understood, but similar methods can be applied in nonaqueous media. 

If a pH-rate curve does not exhibit an inflection, then very probably the substrate does not undergo an ionization in this pH range. The kinds of substrates that often lead to such simple curves are nonionizable compounds subject to hydrolysis, such as esters and amides. Reactions other than hydrolysis may be characterized by similar behavior if catalyzed by H or OH . The general rate equation is... 

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