applications and analoqies

Pictorial Analogies XIII: Kinetics and Mechanisms

John J. Fortman Wright State University Dayton, OH 45435 The Analogies to kinetics and mechanisms abound (1-7). illustration of the analogies in this article help fix the ideas in the students' minds a s well a s helping them to understand the abstract concepts. I n a first-order process the half-life is a constant. Students have difficulty under-standing how one half of a ton of something can react in the same time a s one half gram of it. The trick is to get them to focus on the fact that since there is more to start with, there is more t h a t can be changing simultaneously. Figure 1 compares the nine months that it takes one couple to have one baby to the nine months that it takes five couples to have five babies. First Order Kinetics
HOW can one hail o f a n n dsomething react in the same time as one hail O f a gram of it?

edited by

RON DELORENZO
Middle Georgia College Cochran. GA31014

The time is the same, but since you started with five times as many couples you can produce five times as many babies. Auto collisions have often been compared to the biThe probability of molecular collisions in mechanisms (8). collisions increases with the number of cars in a n area (Figs. 2 and 31, just like the effect on reaction rates by increasing concentrations. Increasing speeds of the cars will increase the probability of collisions for the same concentration (Figs. 4 and 51, just like increasing the temperature increases reaction rates because it increases the speeds of the molecules, decreasing the time between collisions. Part o f presentations at the 5th Biennial Conference on Chemical the Education, Fort Collins. CO, July 25, 1978, Proceedings, pp 6 7 ; 9th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Bozeman. MT Julv 26, 1986; and the 1951" Nal onal ACS Meel ng an; 3ro &emid Congress of honn Amer~ca, Toronlo. Canada Jme 8 . 1988

Higher Concentration, Faster Rate

\
c

OrnonlhS

&
54 . .
7 baby

More cars, collisions more likely Figure 3.Analogyto high reactantconcentrations.

If there are more la start, more can res

Figure 1. Analogy for the constant value o f the half life o f a first order reaction regardless of starting amount.

Effect of Concentration on Rates

Cars in a parking lot

Effect of Temperature on Rates

Slow Cars in Lot

,
Few can, collisions less likely Figure 2. Analogy to low reactant concentrations.

Longer time for collisions fewercollisions per time Figure 4. Analogy to low reaction temperatures.

848

Journal of Chemical Education

Higher Temperature, Molecules Move Faster

Fast Cars in Lot

Molecules Must Collide with Proper Orientation for Reaction

Shorter time till collisions, more collisions per time Figure 5. Analogy to high reaction temperatures

Bumper transferrequires head on collisions. not front to side f the orientations o f molecules on Figure 7. Analogy to the effect o reactions. energy to overcome activation harriers increasing the likelihood of the contact resulting in a reaction, such a s a n atom transfer. The orientation of the cars in a collision will also affect the resulting damage, just a s the orientations of collidina molecules affect the ~ossibilitv of a reaction a s shown Figure 7. Thc! condition of I he cars ma" also affect the outcome, iust hke the condition of honds in rrnctina molecules may affect the reaction. Copies of these illustrations will be sent on request. Acknowledgment I wish to thank the artist..Bruce Stiver. of Media Production Services at Wr~ght State for his hard work and talent in producing all rhe illustrations in this series and the chemistry department ibr the financ~al support rcquircd. I also wish to thank Jackie Ciever ibr t". w i n e a11 of the manuscripts.

Higher Temperature, F a s t e r Molecules, More Energy

Collisions more likely to cause more damage - bumper transfer Figure 6. Analogy to high temperature collisions being more likely to cause reactions. Faster speeds will also increase the damage to cars in collisions that do occur (Fig. 6) a s for instance making a ''bumper transfer" more likely just a s atom transfers may be more favored in more energetic collisions. I n other words, high temperatures in reactions also supply more

Literature Cited
1. White,A. D. J Chem.Educ. 1981.58, 645. 2. Bonneau,M. C. J. Chem Educ 1986.62. 519. 3. Bal1.D. W J. Chem. E d w 1985.6% 579. 4. Last. A M . J. Cham. Edue 1983,60, 748. 5 . La8t.A.M. J. Chem. Edue 1985,62,1015. 6. Krug, L.A. J. Ckem. Edue 1987, M, 1000. 0. J . J Cham Educ 1988,65. 696697. 7. O l n e ~ 8. Coley W. Presented st the 9th Bienmal conference on Chemical Education, Bozeman. MT, July 26.1936.

Volume 71

Number 10 October 1994

849