Lesson Plan

Lesson: Instantaneous and Initial Rates

Aim :

To study the difference between instantaneous and initial rates and how they are determined
from concentration-time graphs.

Learning Outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

1. calculate the instantaneous and initial rates of reaction from the concentration-time
graph.

2. differentiate between initial rate and instantaneous rate.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already :

1. be familiar with the definition of rates of reaction.

2. be familiar with the concept of titrimetry to determine the amount of substance

present in a solution.

3. know how to draw a tangent to a curve at a point and to calculate its gradient.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their
responses. Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and
application of the new concepts learned.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 of 4

Development of Lesson :
No. Steps
1 Set Induction.
(Ascertaining prior
knowledge and
introducing lesson
topic for the day).
2 Student Activity
3 Evaluation
4 Extension activity
© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved.
Strategy Resources
• Teacher to get students to recall the
definition of rates of reaction and to
sketch the concentration-time graphs for
both a reactant and a product.
Teacher to get students to suggest type of
information they can derive from
concentration-time graphs.
Teacher to point out lesson objectives for
the day.
Teacher to go through Activities 1 – 2 with • Courseware
the students.
• Activity 1 : Determination of
instantaneous rate.
Students are shown the difference
between average rate and instantaneous
rate. They are also shown how to
determine the instantaneous rate from the
concentration-time graph.
• Activity 2 : Determination of initial
rate.
Students are shown the difference
between instantaneous rate and initial
rate. They are also shown how the
initial rate is determined from the
concentration-time graph.
• Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet
student worksheet on their own.
• Students to go through the extension • Websites
activities on their own. • Reference
books.
Page 2 of 4
Worksheet answers

1. Determination of instantaneous rate

1.1 a. First, plot the graph of concentration of A against time. Then draw a tangent
to the curve obtained at point t = 25 min and measure the gradient of this
tangent. The gradient obtained gives the rate at which A is reacting at
t = 25 min.

b. The rates of formation of B and C are according to the following relationship :

1 d[A] d[B] 1 d[C]

− = =
2 dt dt 2 dt

1
Hence, the rate at which B is formed = (rate of reaction of A) and
2
the rate at which C is formed = rate of reaction of A

1.2 a. i. 2Na(s) + 2C2H5OH(l) 2C2H5O − Na + ( C2H5OH ) + H2(g)

ii. Sodium being a very reactive metal will react with oxygen in the air to
form a layer of sodium oxide on its surface if left exposed to air for a
while. Sodium oxide cannot react with ethanol.

iii. An excess of ethanol was used to ensure that all the sodium would
react.

b.
60

tot
3 50
al
Total volume of gas/cm3

vol
40
um
e
of 30
ga
s/
cm 20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Time/min
time / min

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 4

 60
c. i. = 2.50 x 10-3 moles of gas produced.
24 000

ii. 2 moles Na gives 1 mole H2 gas.

Number of moles of Na used = 2(2.5 x 10-3) = 5.0 x 10-3
Mass of Na used = 23(5.0 x 10-3) = 0.115 g

d. The rate at t = 5 min is less than that at t = 2 min because as the reaction
proceeds, the concentration of the ethanol decreases. The lower the
concentration of the reactants, the lower the rate of the reaction.

2. Determination of initial rate

2.1 a. Initial rate is the rate of reaction at the start of the experiment at t = 0.

b. It is difficult or not possible to measure the change in concentration of the

reactants during the course of some reactions.

2.2 a. A tangent to the curve at t = 0 is drawn and its gradient measured. The
dy
gradient of the tangent, gives the initial rate of the reaction.
dx

b.

2.5
conc. Of H2O2 in sample /

2
dm -3
[H2O2]/mol -3

1.5
mol dm

graph for reaction in the

1
absence of a catalyst
0.5

0
0 200 400 600 800
time /s
Time/s

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