Kinetics & Equilibrium
What You’ll Learn
The reaction order describes the mathematical dependence of the rate on reactant concentrations, with common orders being zero, first, and second order; the reaction rate constant (k) is a proportionality factor specific to the reaction that relates the rate to the reactant concentrations.
The rate of a reaction quantifies how quickly concentrations change over time and is mathematically expressed using the rate law equation with the rate constant and reactant concentrations; factors like temperature, pressure, catalysts, and concentrations can affect the reaction rate.
The reaction order, rate constant, and rate are all key kinetic parameters that characterize the dynamics of a chemical reaction.