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Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics
Chapter 14, Problem 69

What is the value of the rate constant at 425 K for a reaction with rate constants of 0.0117/s at 400.0 K and 0.689/s at 450.0 K?

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify that the problem involves calculating the rate constant at a specific temperature using the Arrhenius equation.
Recall the Arrhenius equation: \( k = A e^{-\frac{E_a}{RT}} \), where \( k \) is the rate constant, \( A \) is the pre-exponential factor, \( E_a \) is the activation energy, \( R \) is the gas constant, and \( T \) is the temperature in Kelvin.
Use the two given rate constants and temperatures to set up two equations based on the Arrhenius equation: \( \ln(k_1) = \ln(A) - \frac{E_a}{R} \cdot \frac{1}{T_1} \) and \( \ln(k_2) = \ln(A) - \frac{E_a}{R} \cdot \frac{1}{T_2} \).
Subtract the first equation from the second to eliminate \( \ln(A) \) and solve for \( E_a \): \( \ln(k_2) - \ln(k_1) = -\frac{E_a}{R} \left( \frac{1}{T_2} - \frac{1}{T_1} \right) \).
Once \( E_a \) is found, use it in the Arrhenius equation to solve for the rate constant \( k \) at 425 K: \( \ln(k) = \ln(A) - \frac{E_a}{R} \cdot \frac{1}{425} \).