Why are rate of reaction graphs curved?

Why are rate of reaction graphs curved?

The graph is curved, becoming less steep as the gradient decreases because the reactants are being used up, so the speed decreases. Here the gradient is a measure of the rate of the reaction. This means the speed has become zero as the reaction has stopped. Here the gradient is a measure of the rate of the reaction.

How does concentration affect the rate of reaction graph?

The relationship between the concentration of a reactant and the rate of reaction with respect to that reactant can be shown using rate–time graphs. If the rate is not affected by the concentration of a reactant, when you double the concentration the rate stays exactly the same.

How does increasing the concentration of something affect the rate at which it reacts?

Increasing the concentration of one or more reactants will often increase the rate of reaction. This occurs because a higher concentration of a reactant will lead to more collisions of that reactant in a specific time period.

Why is the increase in concentration directly proportional to the rate of the reaction?

The rate of reaction is proportional to the number of collisions per unit time, so increasing the concentration of either reactant increases the number of collisions, the number of successful collisions, and the reaction rate.

What factors increase the reaction rate?

In general, increasing the concentration of a reactant in solution, increasing the surface area of a solid reactant, and increasing the temperature of the reaction system will all increase the rate of a reaction. A reaction can also be sped up by adding a catalyst to the reaction mixture.

Why do reaction rates flatten out over time?

After a while there are fewer reactant particles. This means collisions and therefore product is formed more slowly. The slopes of the graph flatten indicating the rate if reaction has decreased. Eventually no more reactant particles will remain and so no more product is formed.

Why does increasing temperature increase the rate of a reaction?

An increase in temperature causes a rise in the energy levels of the molecules involved in the reaction, so the rate of the reaction increases. Similarly, the rate of reaction will decrease with a decrease in temperature.

Why does the rate of reaction change over time?

The rate of a reaction decreases as time progresses. As a reaction progresses the reactants are being turn junto the products, so the number of reactant particles left is decreasing.

What does the slope of the curve indicate about the reaction?

The steeper the tangent, the faster the reaction. As the reaction carries on, the steepness of the tangent to the curve decreases (eg the blue dashed line) so the reaction is slowing down.