which formula do i use to solve for the rate constant of a 2nd order half life?
(1/A) - (1/Ao) = akt
what does the small a stand for?
a is a whole number, usually 1 or 2; sometimes but rarely 3.
For simple equations in which
A ==> B, the formula is just .... = kt
For 2A ==> B it is .....= 2kt
For 3A ==> B is is ..... = 3kt etc.
Thank you!
To solve for the rate constant (k) of a second-order half-life situation, you would use the integrated rate law for a second-order reaction.
The integrated rate law for a second-order reaction is:
1/[A]t = kt + 1/[A]0
Where:
[A]t is the concentration of reactant A at time t
k is the rate constant
[A]0 is the initial concentration of reactant A
In terms of a second-order half-life situation, we can rearrange the equation to solve for k.
Rearranging the equation, we get:
1/[A]0 - 1/[A]t = kt
We can substitute the concentration at time t with the concentration at half-life (which would be [A]0/2).
So, the equation becomes:
1/[A]0 - 1/[A]0/2 = k * t(1/2)
Simplifying further, we get:
1/[A]0 - 2/[A]0 = k * t(1/2)
To calculate the rate constant (k), you need the initial concentration ([A]0) and the time at half-life (t(1/2)). Plug in these values into the equation, and you will be able to solve for the rate constant (k).