Rate equation
Rate Equation
The Rate Equation (pronounced: /reɪt iˈkweɪʒən/), also known as a rate law, is a mathematical expression that describes the relationship between the rate of a chemical reaction and the concentration of its reactants. The rate equation is a fundamental concept in chemical kinetics, the study of rates of chemical processes.
Etymology
The term "rate equation" is derived from the English words "rate", meaning the speed or frequency of occurrence, and "equation", which refers to a statement that asserts the equality of two expressions. The term thus refers to an equation that describes the rate of a process.
Formulation
The general form of a rate equation for a chemical reaction is given by:
- rate = k [A]^m [B]^n
where:
- rate is the rate of the reaction,
- k is the rate constant,
- [A] and [B] are the concentrations of the reactants,
- m and n are the orders of the reaction with respect to the reactants A and B, respectively.
The rate constant k and the orders of reaction m and n are determined experimentally.
Related Terms
- Chemical kinetics: The study of rates of chemical processes.
- Chemical reaction: A process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.
- Concentration: The measure of the amount of a sub-component (especially solute) in a solution.
- Rate constant: A proportionality constant in the rate equation that is a measure of the reaction rate.
- Order of reaction: The exponent to which its concentration term in the rate equation is raised.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Rate equation
- Wikipedia's article - Rate equation
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