chemical kinetics

[dino_flagellate]

i am studying chemical kinetics right now does anyone know how much detail we need to go as far as knowing the equations that involve ln i've been using the kaplan book but i don't think it is comprehensive enough since it ties in chemical kinetics and equilibrium together what do you all think

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[seoul]

i am studying chemical kinetics right now does anyone know how much detail we need to go as far as knowing the equations that involve ln i've been using the kaplan book but i don't think it is comprehensive enough since it ties in chemical kinetics and equilibrium together what do you all think

Chemical equilibria is a separate topic from chemical kinetics. Don't get them mixed up. Just as you're concerned with, chemical kinetics entail beyond equations centralizing on reaction order, rate law, ... alone. Some of the related topics you may want to factor in are:

Transition state theory (activated complex, energy of activation, ...), molecularity of single-step reaction (unimolecular, bimolecular, ... good section to boost your understanding for Ochem), rate determining step, the effect of catalyst, ...

I'm not promoting DAT Achiever, but you're bound to get a couple of good questions on these topics from its SNS tests which are likely to appear in the DAT.

 

[dexadental]

The only way you'll really get a good understanding of what is in Kaplan is to do practice tests. The kinetic problems are hard to grasp unless you actually DO the problem, and not just go over the theory. Good luck. Equiibrium does in fact tie into chemical kinetics, so I can see why Kaplan bunches the two together.

 

[dino_flagellate]

Thank you both for you posts, but I think you misunderstood my origonal post. I know kinetics and chemical equilibrium fairly well, and how they tie in together. The initial part of reactions involve kinetics, and the later stages involve equilibrium.

My question was, for the kinetics section, how much in detail do we have to go? Do you all remember those equations that required calculus to derive that plot various graphs for 1st and 2nd order reactions? And knowing the varous intercepts relate to the log of the concentration or something...

I was wondering how much, and in what detail you all are studying these sorts of things...

 

[dexadental]

Heya, forget the calculus for those problems, no calculus will be on the DAT. Stuff you should know involves those rate problems, trying to find the order of a reactant concentration, and know LeChatlier's principle pretty well...which is simple stuff. Know about Ea (activation energy), know enthalpy calculations and entropy calculations, free energy...but this stuff is more thermodynamics. Thats pretty much all I can think of for kinetics, they won't have complex stuff on there...good luck.