Chemical Kinetics
Prof. Mike Lyons
Dependence of rate on concentration. Revision of definitions of order of reaction and reaction rate constants. Initial rate and integrated rate equation methods. Pseudo-nth order reactions.
Experimental Methods. Physical monitoring of reaction. Use of conductivity and spectrophotometric methods. Introduction to experimental methods for fast reactions.
Multi-step reactions. Competitive and consecutive reaction steps. Reactive intermediates and the steady state principle. Relevance to gas phase (atmospheric), and polymerisation chemistry, Oscillating reactions, and Catalysis.
Dependence of rate on temperature. Arrhenius Equation. Activation energy and Arrhenius (pre-exponential) factor.
Theory of Chemical Reaction Rates. Bimolecular reactions. Simple collision theory and Activated Complex Theory (Thermodynamic Formulation). Potential energy surfaces, ΔH & ΔS of activation.