Rate-Concentration Graphs (OCR A Level Chemistry A): Revision Note

Rate-Concentration Graphs

Reaction order using rate-concentration graphs

• In a zero-order reaction, the rate doesn’t depend on the concentration of the reactant

  • The rate of the reaction therefore remains constant throughout the reaction

  • The graph is a horizontal line

  • The rate equation is rate = k

Rate-concentration graph of a zero-order reaction

• In a first-order reaction, the rate is directly proportional to the concentration of a reactant

  • The rate of the reaction increases as the concentration of the reactant increases

  • This means that the rate of the reaction decreases as the concentration of the reactant decreases when it gets used up during the reaction

  • The graph is a straight line

  • The rate equation is rate = k[A]

Rate-concentration graph of a first-order reaction

• In a second-order reaction, the rate is directly proportional to the square of concentration of a reactant

  • The rate of the reaction increases more as the concentration of the reactant increases

  • This means that the rate of the reaction decreases more as the concentration of the reactant decreases when it gets used up during the reaction

  • The graph is a curved line

  • The rate equation is rate = k[A]²

Rate-concentration graphs of a second-order reaction