Question detail
A graph of the concentration of a reactant against time shows a straight line with a gradient of –0.02 mol dm⁻³ s⁻¹. If the same reaction is carried out under identical conditions but the gradient is –0.08 mol dm⁻³ s⁻¹, what can be concluded about the relative rates of the two reactions?
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At a glance
Question
Type
exam_style
Style
Topic
Rate of reaction
Question
A graph of the concentration of a reactant against time shows a straight line with a gradient of –0.02 mol dm⁻³ s⁻¹. If the same reaction is carried out under identical conditions but the gradient is –0.08 mol dm⁻³ s⁻¹, what can be concluded about the relative rates of the two reactions?
Answer
The reaction with the steeper gradient (–0.08 moldm⁻³ s⁻¹) proceeds four times faster than the one with –0.02 moldm⁻³ s⁻¹, because the magnitude of the gradient is directly proportional to the rate of reaction.
Explanation
This question requires interpretinggraph gradients to compare reaction rates, testingunderstandingof the relationship between gradient magnitude and reaction speed.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Graph Gradients
Students often confuse the steepness of the graph with the amount of product formed, rather than understanding it represents the rate of reaction.
Focus on how the steepness of the graph indicates the speed of the reaction, where a steeper gradient means a faster rate of reaction.
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