Question

1) The rate expression for the reaction 2 SO2 + O --> 2 SO3 is given by rate = k [SO2]2[O2]. The overall order of this reaction is: first order

2)The rate reaction between A and B is expressed as rate = k [A][B]. To produce the greatest increase in the reaction rate: double the [A]

3)A formula in brackets, for examples [NH3], indicates: the equilibrium concentration of ammonia

Answer 1

Are these true/false questions? If so, the answers are (1) T, (2) F, (3) F.

Answer 2

1. The reaction is second order with respect to SO2, first order with respect to O2, and third order overall.

2. Doubling A will be no more effective than doubling B so you know that can't be right. Changing BOTH A and B would be better. Better still, is changing temperature. Changing T by 10 degrees approximately doubles the rate of reaction.

3. You need to look in your text or notes to see how that is handled. Sometimes brackets mean concentration, sometimes activity.

Answer 3

I did not notice that what you wanted was for us to check your statement that followed the colon. The SO2 + O2 reaction (which you typed incorrectly as SO2 + O) is not first order, assuming the rate equation that you provided is correct. However, reactions of that type usually do not take place in a single three-reactant step. They require a series of steps that involve unstable chemically active free radicals, such as O.

In 2), remember that k is a constant only at a fixed temperature. In most cases, k increases rapidly with temperature, so that heating is the most effective way to achieve a higher reaction rate. At a fixed temperature, changing [A] or [B] by the same percent is equally effective.

In (3) a chemical compound expressed in brackets usually indicates its actual concentration, whether chemical equilibrium exists or not.