Analysing rate data (chemical kinetics)

The aim of analysing rate data of an experiment is to determine the order with respect to different reactants, the rate constant and hence the rate law.

Although various approaches can be employed to achieve that, depending on the type of reaction being investigated, most experimental procedures are structured in a way that narrow the approaches down to one or two.

The commonly used methods for analysing rate data are:

1. 1. the half-life method
   2. the differential method
   3. the integral method
   4. the initial rate method; and
   5. the isolation method

Some experiments may require a combination of these methods to derive the rate equation. We shall look at them individually and see how they can be used.

 

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