Questions for Focused Reading

February 10

15.4

1.    What is the utility of the integrated rate law?

2.    There are four steps to identifying an integrated rate law:  The first is to set the differential rate equal to the general rate law; the second step is to rearrange the terms; the third is to integrate; and the fourth step is to rearrange the integrated result into a linear equation.  You should be able to do these four steps for at least one of the following:  zeroth order, first order, second order, or nth order (n not equal to 1).

3.    I will expect you to know the integrated rate laws for zeroth, first, and second order reactions.  I will expect you to know the equations for the half-lives for zeroth, first, and second order reactions.  Be aware that it is relatively easy to derive the half life if you know the integrated rate law.

4.    What is a half-life?  How is the half-life for a first-order reaction unique?