CHEMISTRY(XI)

CHAPTER # 08
TOPIC:

ENERGY OF ACTIVATION:
Definition:

“It is the energy required for a collision to be effective. It is denoted by EA.

Formula:

Activation energy = Threshold energy – Average Internal Energy.

CONCEPT OF THRESHOLD ENERGY:

A reaction takes place when molecules of reacting substances collide together. But all the collisions are
not effective i.e. do not let to the formation of product. It has been found that only those collisions are
effective in which the colliding molecules possess minimum amount of energy is called Threshold
energy.

CONCEPT OF ACTIVATION ENERGY:

Before collisions the molecules of reactants in their normal state do possess their respective internal
energy but their average internal energy is less than their threshold energy. Now the molecules must
acquire the difference of energy in order that their collisions be effective. The excess energy that the
reactant molecules having average internal energy less than the threshold energy must acquire in order to
react and change into product is called Activation energy.

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TOPIC:

TYPES OF REACTIONS BASED ON REACTION VELOCITY:

It happen to observe many chemical reactions that are part of our daily life, we note that different
reactions take different amount of time for completion.

Examples:

Combustion of gasoline is very fast, cooking of food takes moderate time, but rusting of iron is very very-
slow process.

1) REACTIONS PROCEEDING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED:

These reactions proceed at extremely slow speed and take very long time for completion. It is
difficult to determine experimentally the velocity of such reactions.
Examples:
Rusting of iron, radioactive decay of elements and formation of diamond from carbon in Earth’s
crust.
2) REACTIONS PROCEEDING AT A VERY FAST SPEED:
These reactions are instantaneous reactions i.e. they are so fast that they are completed in a very
small time of the order of 10 - 6 s. All ionic reactions are of this type. It is impossible to determine
rates of such reactions.
Examples:
(a) H + Cl - + Na+ OH - Na+ Cl - + H2O
(Acid) (base)

(b) Ag+ NO -(aq) + Na+ Cl -(aq) AgCl + Na+ NO3-(aq)

3) REACTIONS PROCEEDING AT A VERY MODERATE SPEED:

These reactions proceed at experimentally measureable rate, i.e. they have limited speed and mostly
completed in few hours. Generally reactions of organic and covalent compounds are of such type.
Examples:

(a) C12H22O11 + H2O C6H12O6 + C6H12O6

Sucrose Glucose Fructose

(b) CH3COOH + C2H5OH CH3COOC2H5 + H2O

Acetic acid Ethyl Alcohol Ester

TOPIC:
DETERMINATION OF RATE OF REATION:
Two methods are employed for the determination of rate of a chemical reaction. These are:
1) Physical method
2) Chemical method

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1) PHYSICAL METHODS:
In these methods, the reaction is followed by measuring change in some physical
property of reactants and products. Following are the methods are generally employed.

S.No. Name of Physical method Observed Physical property

1. Refractometric method Change in refractive index.
2. Spectrocopic method Absorption of ultraviolet or infrared radiation.
3. Colorimetric method Change in color intensity.
4. Conductivity method Change in electrical conductivity.
5. pH method Change in pH is observed.

2) CHEMICAL METHODS:
When physical methods are not available or suitable then a proper chemical method
is used.
In a chemical method, generally samples are drawn from the vessel at regular
intervals of time, Reaction is stopped at that particular moment by suddenly chilling
the sample by adding it to a suitable chemical. The amount of reactant or product
present at that time is generally found by titrating the sample against a proper
agent.

Examples:

An example of hydrolysis of methyl acetate (CH3COOCH3) in acidic medium.

CH3COOCH3 + H2O CH3COOH + CH3OH

Reaction is followed by measuring the amount of acetic acid (CH3COOCH3) formed at regular intervals
by titrating the chilled samples against standard alkali (NaOH). With the passage of time, more and more
acetic acid is formed until the reaction goes to completion.

The results are plotted as a graph and rate curve is obtained. The slope (tan θ) of rate curve at different
𝑑𝑥
times gives the rate of reaction ( ) at that moment.
𝑑𝑡

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