New 21st Century Chemistry

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46
In-text activities
Checkpoint (page 58)
a) B and C
b) A and D
c) D
d) B
Checkpoint (page 61)
1 a) Any one of the following:
A few molecules have very low energy values.
A few molecules have very high energy values.
Most molecules have a moderate amount of energy.
b)

c) When the temperature drops, a smaller portion of the molecules have energy equal to or
greater than the activation energy. Less molecules can react upon collision.
Hence the rate of reaction decreases.
2

a) i) The rate of reaction increases.

ii) As the temperature increases, the particles have more energy and collide more often.
A larger portion of the particles have energy equal to or greater than the activation
energy and thus can react upon collision.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

b) Concentration of solutions / volume of solutions

Checkpoint (page 65)
1

a) Activation energy is the minimum kinetic energy required by colliding particles for a
reaction to occur.
b) Two
c) Step 1 is the rate-determining step.
The rate-determining step is the one with the greatest activation energy.
d) The overall reaction is endothermic.
The potential energy of the product is higher than that of the reactant.

a) Two
b) Mechanism 1
Species in the rate equation match those in the slow step of the reaction.

Checkpoint (page 74)

1 The activation energy of this reaction is larger than that of a reaction which is rapid at room
temperature.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

1
t

a) Rate
k=

c
t

where c is a constant. Hence

c
EA
1
log ( ) = log A
x
t
2.3R
T
log c + log
log

1
EA
1
= log A
x
t
2.3R
T

1
EA
1
= log A
log c
x
t
2.3R
T

So, a graph of log

1
1
EA
against
has a slope of
.
t
2.3R
T

t (s)

1
log ( )
t

T (K)

1
(x 103 K1)
T

229

2.36

287

3.48

126

2.10

297

3.37

69

1.84

307

3.26

37

1.57

317

3.15

23

1.36

327

3.06

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

Slope =

EA
=
2.3R

2.30 (1.70)
(3.45 3.20) x 103 K1

= 2.40 x 103 K

EA = 2.3 x 8.31 J K1 mol1 x 2.40 x 103 K

= 45.9 kJ mol1
the activation energy for the reaction is 45.9 kJ m ol1.
b) From the graph, at 337 K,
1
log ( ) = 1.16
t
t = 14 s

k = Ae
log

59.0
4.25 x 104

EA
2.3R

1
1

298
373

EA = 146 kJ mol1
the activation energy for the reaction is 146 kJ mol1.
Checkpoint (page 78)
a)

b) At room temperature, the rate of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an

enzyme is higher
because the activation energy is lower.
A larger portion of the molecules have energy equal to or greater than the activation energy.
There is an increase in effective collision frequency. Hence the decomposition goes faster.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

Checkpoint (page 85)

a) Glucose
enzymes in yeast
C6H12O6(aq)

2C2H5OH(aq) + 2CO2(g)

b) Yeast contains enzymes which break down glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide.
c) Prevent air from entering the jar. Otherwise the ethanol produced will be oxidized.
Prevent building up of pressure in the jar.
d) Fractional distillation

Unit-end exercises (pages 88 98)

Answers for the HKCEE (Paper 1) and HKALE questions are not provided.
1

(Extension)
2 a) Intermediates
b) X
Y
The rate-determining step is the one with the greatest activation energy.
c) Exothermic
The potential energy of the product is lower than that of the reactant.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

a)

b) The total number of molecules

4

a) Reaction with a higher activation energy has a smaller k.

b) A catalyst is present in one of the reactions.

a) i) Iron
ii) Vanadium(V) oxide
iii) Platinum / rhodium / palladium
iv) Concentrated sulphuric acid
v) Enzymes in yeast
vi) Manganese(IV) oxide
b)

Reaction proceeds faster.

Reaction proceeds at a lower temperature.
Energy costs are saved.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

a)

b) Activation energy for the backward reaction

= (184 21) kJ mol1
= 163 kJ mol1
c) The decomposition of hydrogen iodide increases with increasing the temperature.
The molecules have more energy at a higher temperature and collide more often.
A larger portion of the molecules have energy equal to or greater than the activation energy
and thus can react upon collision.
d) ii) Activation energy for the forward reaction
= (85 + 21) kJ mol1
= 106 kJ mol1
7

a)

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

b) As the temperature increases, the particles have more energy and collide more often.
A larger portion of the particles have energy equal to or greater than the activation energy
and thus can react upon collision.
c) A catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.
As the activation energy is smaller, there is a larger portion of molecules with energy equal
to or greater than the new activation energy.
There is an increase in effective collision frequency. Hence the reaction goes faster.
10
11 a) The experiment in which manganese(IV) oxide is a fine powder shows the faster rate of
decomposition.
The fine powder manganese(IV) oxide has a larger surface area.
So, the collision frequency between the peroxide and the catalyst is greater.
b) i)

ii) At a higher temperature, a larger portion of the molecules have energy equal to or
greater than the activation energy and thus can react upon collision.
iii) A catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.
As the activation energy is smaller, there is a larger portion of molecules with energy
equal to or greater than the new activation energy.
There is an increase in effective collision frequency. Hence the reaction goes faster.
12 a) i) First order with respect to 2-bromo-2-methylpropane.
ii) Zero order with respect to sodium hydroxide solution.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

b) Rate = k[(CH3)3CBr(l)]
where k is the rate constant.
c) From experiment 1,
[(CH3)3CBr(l)] = 5.0 x 104 mol dm3
Rate = 1.5 x 104 mol dm3 s1
Substituting these values in the rate equation,
1.5 x 104 mol dm3 s1 = k(5.0 x 104 mol dm3)
k = 0.30 s1
()
d) Yes
The only species in the slowest step appears on the rate equation.
e) i) Rate = k[(CH3)3CBr(l)]
As [(CH3)3CBr(l)] was the same in the series of experiments,
thus k =

rate
C

where C is a constant.
As k = Ae
log k = log A
log

rate
C

EA
1
x
2.3R
T

= log A

EA
1
x
2.3R
T

log (rate) log C = log A

log (rate) = log A

EA
1
x
2.3R
T

EA
1
+ log C
x
2.3R
T

So, a graph of log (rate) against

1
EA
has a slope of
.
2.3R
T

Use the data below to plot a graph:

log (rate)

1
(x 103 K1)
T

3.47

3.33

3.13

3.23

2.78

3.13

2.04

2.94

1.78

2.86

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

Slope =

EA
3.35 (2.05)
= 3.71 x 103 K
=
2.3R
(3.30 2.95) x 103 K1

EA = 2.3 x 8.31 J K1 mol1 x 3.71 x 103 K

= 70.9 kJ mol1
the activation energy for the reaction is 70.9 kJ mol1.
ii) From the graph, at 330 K,
log (rate) = 2.40
rate = 3.98 x 103 mol dm3 s1
13 a) i) Rate of reaction is the change in the concentration of reactants / products with time.
ii) The overall order of reaction is the sum of the powers / indices which the
concentrations are raised in the rate equation.
b) i) From experiments 1 and 2, the initial rate quadruples when the concentration of B is
doubled.
Hence the reaction is second order with respect to B.
From experiments 1 and 3, the initial rate doubles when the concentration of A is
doubled.
Hence the reaction is first order with respect to A.
ii) Rate = k[A][B]2
where k is the rate constant.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

10

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

iii) From experiment 1,

[A] = 0.100 mol dm3
[B] = 0.100 mol dm3
Rate = 0.00200 mol dm3 min1
Substituting these values in the rate equation,
0.00200 mol dm3 min1 = k(0.100 mol dm3)(0.100 mol dm3)2
k = 2.00 dm6 mol2 min1
(Extension)
iv) Any one of the following:
A+ B
AB
rate-determining step
AB + B

AB2
fast

AB2 + B
B+B

AB3
B2
rate-determining step

A + B2

AB2
fast

AB2 + B

AB3
rate-determining step

A + 2B

AB2
fast

AB2 + B

AB3

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

11

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

c) i)

ii) Slope =

EA
4.80 (3.10)
3
=
1 = 5.67 x 10 K
2.3R
(0.00340 0.00310) K

EA = 2.30 x 8.31 J mol1 K1 x 5.67 x 103 K

= 108 kJ mol1
the activation energy for the reaction is 108 kJ mol1
14
15
(Extension)
16 a) Iron(II) ion is used as a catalyst in the oxidation of iodide ion by peroxodisulphate ion.
Iron(II) ion is a homogeneous catalyst as the catalyst and the reactants are in the same
phase.
b) Vanadium(V) oxide is used as a catalyst in the reaction between sulphur dioxide and
oxygen gases in the Contact process.
Vanadium(V) oxide is a heterogeneous catalyst as the catalyst and the reactants are in
different phases.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

12

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.

New 21st Century Chemistry

17 a) i) The rate equation for the reaction can be expressed as:

Rate = k[NO(g)]x[H2(g)]y
From experiments 1 and 2,
2.6 = k(0.10)x(0.20)y ......(1)
6.5 = k(0.10)x(0.50)y ......(2)
Dividing (1) by (2),
2.6
6.5

0.20
0.50

y =1
From experiments 2 and 3,
6.5 = k(0.10)x(0.50)y ......(2)
58.5 = k(0.30)x(0.50)y ......(3)
Dividing (2) by (3),
6.5
=
58.5

0.10
0.30

x =2
the reaction is second order with respect to NO(g) and first order with respect to
H2(g).
ii) Rate = k[NO(g)]2[H2(g)]
where k is the rate constant.
iii) From experiment 1,
[NO(g)] = 0.10 mol dm3
[H2(g)] = 0.20 mol dm3
Rate = 2.6 mol dm3 s1
Substituting these values in the rate equation,
2.6 mol dm3 s1 = k(0.10 mol dm3)2(0.20 mol dm3)
k = 1 300 dm6 mol2 s1

b) i)

3
2

O2(g)

O3(g)

NO(g) is a catalyst
as it is not used up in the overall reaction.
ii) Rate = k[NO(g)][O3(g)]
Species in the rate equation match those in the rate-determining step / slow step of the
reaction.

Suggested answers to in-text activities and unit-end exercises

Topic 14 Unit 46

13

Jing Kung. All rights reserved.