Previous Questions

Chemical kinetics
1. The decomposition of NH3 on platinum surface is zero order reaction. If rate constant (k) is 4 x
10-3 M/s, how long will it take to reduce the initial concentration of NH3 from 0.1M to 0.064M.
[D 2019]

2. For a reaction 2H 2O2  I
alkaline
 2H 2O  O2 the proposed mechanism is given as below: [D
2019]
(i) H 2O2  I  
slow
 H 2O  IO
(ii) H 2O2  IO 
fast
H 2O  I   O2
(a) Write rate law for the reaction.
(b) Write the overall order of reaction.
(c) Out of steps (1) and (2), which one is rate determining step?
3. A first order reaction takes 30 mintes for 20% decomposition. Calculate t1/2. [AI 2019]
4. Draw the plot of lnK vs 1/T for a chemical reaction. What does the intercept represent? What is
the relation between slope and Ea? [AI 2019]
5. The rate of reactin quadruples when temperature changes from 293K to 313K. Calculate Ea
assuming that it does not change with time.[AI 2019]
6. Consider the reaction R P for which the change in concentration of R with time is shown
by the following graph: [AI 2019]

(a) Predict the order of reaction. (b) What does the slope of the curve indicate?
7. A first order reaction is 50% completed in 40 minutes at 300K and in 20 minutes at 320K.
Calculate the activation energy of the reaction. [AI 2018]
8. For the reaction 2 N2O5 ( g )  4 NO2 ( g )  O2 ( g ) , the rate of formation of NO2(g) is 2.8 x 10-3
Ms-1. Calculate the rate of disappearance of N2O5(g). [AI 2018]
9. A first order reaction takes 20 minutes for 25% decomposition. Calculate the time when 75% of
the reaction will be completed. [2017 AI]
10. What is the effect of adding a catalyst on [2017 AI]
(a) Activation energy (b) Gibbs free energy of a reaction.
11. The rate of most reactions double when their temperature is raised from 298K to 308K.
Calculate their activation energy. [2016 C]
12. Define rate constant (k). [2016 C]
13. The rate constant for the first order decomposition of H2O2 is given by the following equation:
 1.0 104
log K  14.2  K
T
Calculate the Ea for this reaction and rate constant k if its half-life period is 200 minutes. [2016
D]
14. For a reaction: 2 NH3 ( g ) 
Pt
 N2 ( g )  3H 2 ( g ) Rate = K [D 2016]
(i) Write the order and molecularity of this reaction.
(ii) Write the unit of K.
15. For the first order thermal decomposition reaction, the following data were obtained: [AI 2016]
C2H5Cl(g) C2H4(g) +J HCl(g)
Time/sec Total Pressure
0 0.30
300 0.50
Calculate the rate constant.
16. For a reaction: H2 + Cl2 2HCl, Rate = K [AI 2016]
(iii) Write the order and molecularity of this reaction.
(iv) Write the unit of K.
17. A first order reaction takes 30 minutes for 50% completion. Calculate the time required for 90%
completion of this reaction. [AI 2015]
18. For a reaction A + B P, the rate is given by [AI 2015]
2
Rate = k[A][B]
(a) How is the rate of reaction affected if the concentration of B is doubled?
(b) What is the overall order of reaction if A is present in large excess?
19. For the hydrolysis of methyl acetate in aqueous solution, the following results were obtained:
t/s 0 10 20
-1
[CH3COOCH3]/molL 0.10 0.05 0.025
(a) Show that it follows pseudo first order reaction, as the concentration of water remains
constant.
(b) Calculate the average rate of reaction between the time interval 10 to 20 seconds. [AI 2015]
20. The following data were obtained during the first order thermal decomposition of SO2Cl2 at a
constant volume: SO2Cl2(g) SO2(g) + Cl2(g)
Experiment Times/S-1 Total Pressure/atm

1 0 0.4

2 100 0.7

Calculate the rate constant. [AI 2014]

21. For a chemical reaction R P, the variation in the concentration (R) vs. time(t) plot is
given as [AI 2014]
 (i) Predict the order of the reaction.
(ii) What is the slope of the curve?
22. For a reaction A + B P, the rate law is given by
1/2 2
R = k [A] [B]
What is the order of reaction? [AI 2013]
23. A first order reaction is found to have a rate constant k = 5.5 x 10-14 s-1. Find the half-life of
reaction. [AI 2013]
24. The rate of a reaction becomes four times when the temperature changes from 293 K to 313 K.
Calculate the energy of activation (Ea) of the reaction assuming that it does not change with
temperature. [ R = 8.314 J K-1 mol-1, log 4 = 0.6021][AI 2013]
25. For the reaction, 2NO + Cl2 2NOCl, the following data were collected. All the
measurements were taken at 263 K.
S.N. [NO] [Cl2] Rate

1 0.15 0.15 0.60

2 0.15 0.30 1.20

3 0.30 0.15 2.40

4 0.25 0.25 ?

(a) Write the expression for rate law.

(b) Calculate the value of rate constant and specify its units. [Delhi 2012]
26. Define ‘order ’ of a reaction. [AI 2011]
27. What do you understand by the rate law and rate constant of a reaction? Identify the order of a
reaction if the units of its rate constant are: [AI 2011]
(i) L-1 mol s-1.
(ii) L mol-1 s-1.
28. The thermal decomposition of HCO2H is a first order reaction with a rate constant of 2.4 × 10-3s-1
at a certain temperature. Calculate how long will it take for three-fourths of initial quantity of
HCO2H to decompose. (log 0.25 = -0.6021). [AI 2011]
29. A reaction is second order with respect to a reactant. How is the rate of reaction affected if the
concentration of the reactant is reduced to half? What is the unit of rate constant for such
reaction? [AI 2011]
30. Define ‘Activation Energy’ of a reaction. [AI 2011]
31. Distinguish between rate expression and rate constant of a reaction. [Delhi 2011]
32. N2O5 decomposes according to the equation, 2N2O5 4NO2 + O2. The first order reaction
0
was allowed to proceed at 40 C and the data below were collected: [Delhi 2011]
 t/min 0 20 40 60 80

[N2O5]M 0.400 0.289 0.209 0.151 0.109

(a) Calculate the rate constant. Include units with your answer.
(b) What will be the concentration of N2O5 after 100 minutes?
(c) Calculate the initial rate of reaction.
33. (a) Explain the following terms (i) Rate (ii) Activation energy. [Delhi 2010]
(c) The decomposition of PH3, proceeds according to the following reaction:
4PH3 P4 + 6H2
It is found that the reaction follows the following rate equation :
Rate = k [PH3] , the half life of PH3 is 37.9 s at 1200C.
(i) How much time is required for 3/4th of PH3 to decompose?
(ii) What fraction of the original sample of PH3 remains behind after 1 minute?
34. (a) Explain the following terms
(i) Order of a reaction [Delhi 2010]
(ii) Molecularity of reaction.
(a) The rate of a reaction increases four times when the temperature changes from 300K to
320K. Calculate the energy of activation of the reaction, assuming that it does not change
with temperature. (R = 8.314 J/K-mol)[Delhi 2010]
35. A reaction is first order w.r.t. A and second order w.r.t. B. How is the rate of this reaction
affected when (i) the concentration of B alone is increased to three times (ii) the concentrations of
A as well B are doubled? [Delhi 2010]
36. The rate constant for a reaction of zero order in A is 0.0030 mol L-1 s-1. How long will it take for
the initial concentration of A to fall from 0.10 M to 0.075 M? [Delhi 2010]
37. Define the following: (i) Elementary step in a reaction (ii) Rate of a reaction. [AI 2009]
38. A first order reaction has a rate constant of 0.0051 min-1. If we begin with 0.10 M concentration
of the reactant, what concentration of the reactant will be left after 3 hours?
39. The half-life for a first order reaction is 5 × 104s. What percentage of the initial reactant will
react in 2 hours? [AI C 2009]
40. A first order reaction is 20% complete in 5 minutes. Calculate the time taken for the reactant to
be 60% complete. [AI c 2009]
41. Why does the rate of a reaction not remain constant throughout the chemical process? [Delhi C
2009]
42. For a decomposition reaction the values of rate constant K at two different temperatures are
given below: [AI 2009]
K1 = 2.15 × 10-8 L mol-1 s-1 at 650 K.
K2 = 2.36 × 10-7 L mol-1s-1 at 700K. Calculate the activation energy.
43. For the reaction Cl2 + 2NO 2NOCl, the rate law is expressed as
2
Rate = k [Cl2][NO] . What is the overall order of this reaction? [Delhi 2007]
44. A first order reaction is 15% complete in 20 minutes. How long will it take to be 60% complete?
[AI 2007]
45. The rate constant for a first order reaction is 60s-1. How much time will take to reduce the
concentration of the reactant to 1/10th of its initial value? [AI 2007]
46. A first order reaction takes 69.3 minutes for 50% completion. Set up an equation for
determining the time needed for 80% completion of this reaction. [Delhi 2005]
47. The activation energy of a reaction is 75.2 KJ/mol in the absence of a catalyst and 50.14 KJ/mol
with a catalyst. How many times will the rate of a reaction grow in the presence of the catalyst if
the reaction proceeds at 270C. [AI 2005]
48. For the reaction at 500K; NO2 + CO CO2 + NO, the proposed mechanism is given
as:
(i) NO2 + NO2 NO + NO3
(ii) NO3 + CO CO2 + NO2
What is the rate law for the reaction? [AI 2005]
49. How does the value of rate constant vary with reactant concentrations? [Delhi C 2005]
50. Give an example of a pseudo first order reaction. [Delhi 2004]
51. The rate constant of a reaction is 3 × 10-4 L mol-1min-1. What is the order of this reaction? [AI
2003]
52. The following rate data were obtained at 300K for the reaction 2A + B C + D

S.N. [A] [B] Rate

1 0.1 0.1 7.5 × 10-3

2 0.3 0.2 9.0 × 10-2

3 0.3 0.4 3.6 × 10-1

4 0.4 0.1 3.0 × 10-2

Calculate the rate of formation of D when [A] = 0.8 mol/L and [B] = 0.5 mol/L. [AI 2003]
53. A chemical reaction 2A 4B + C in gas phase occurs in a closed vessel. The concentration of
B is found to increase by 5 X 10-3 mol/L in 10 seconds. Calculate (i) the rate of B (ii) the rate of
disappearance of A.
54. Express the relationship between the rate of formation of water and rate of disappearance of
oxygen in the following reaction. 2H 2  O2  2H 2O
55. In the reaction A + 2B 3C + 2D, the rate of disappearance of B is 1 X 10-2 mol/L-s. What
will be the rate of the reaction and rate of change in concentration of A and C?
56. For a chemical reaction A  B , the change in concentration of A is 40 s is -0.004 mol/L. What
is the rate of chemical reaction?
57. For a chemical reaction A  B , it was found that concentration of B increases by 0.20 M in half
an hour. What is the rate of reaction?
58. Identify the order of reaction from each of the following rate costants.
(i) K = 2.3 x 10-3 L mol-1 s-1.
(ii) K = 2.994 x 10-2 s-1.
59. The following rate data were obtained at 303K for the following reaction: 2A  B  C  D
 S.N. [A] mol/L [B] mol/L Rate

1 0.1 0.1 6 x 10-3

2 0.2 0.3 7.2 x 10-2

3 0.4 0.3 2.88 x 10-1

4 0.1 0.4 2.4 x 10-2

What is rate law? What is the order with respect to each reactant and the overall order? What is
the value of rate constant?
60. The following rate data were obtained at 303K for the following reaction: 2A  B  C  D
S.N. [A] mol/L [B] mol/L Rate

1 0.3 0.3 0.096

2 0.6 0.3 0.384

3 0.3 0.6 0.192

4 0.6 0.6 0.768

For the above reaction:

(i) Calculate the order of reaction w.r.t. both the reactants A and B.
(ii) Write the rate law expression.
(iii) Calculate the rate constant.
61. For the reaction 2 NO  Cl2  2 NOCl
S.N. [NO] mol/L [Cl2] mol/L Rate

1 0.15 0.15 0.60

2 0.15 0.30 0.20

3 0.30 0.15 0.40

4 0.25 0.25 ?

(a) Write the expression for rate law.

(b) Calculate the value of rate constant and specify its units.
(c) Calculate the rate constant.
62. The rate constant of a reaction with respect to the reactant A is 6 min-1. If we start with [A] = 0.8
mol/L, when would [A] reach the value of 0.08 mol/L?
63. The half life time of the first order reaction is 10 seconds. Calculate its rate constant.
64. A first order reaction is found to have a rate constant k = 5.5 x 10-14 s-1. Find its half life time.
65. If half life of a first order reaction is 2 min. How long will it take to reach
(i) 25% of its initial concentration.
 (ii) 10% of its initial concentration.
66. The three fourth of a first order reaction is completed in 32 minutes. What is the half life period
of the reaction?
67. Find out 2/3rd life of a first order reaction in which k = 5.8 x 10-14s-1.
68. The half life of radioisotope bromine-82 is 36 hours. Calcuate the fraction of a sample of
bromine that remains after one day.
69. For a first order reaction, it takes 5 minutes for the initial concentration of 0.6 to 0.4 mol/L. How
long in all will it take for the initial concentration to become 0.3 mol/L?
70. A first order reaction is 20% complete in 10 minutes. Calculate the time taken for the reaction to
go to 89% completion.
71. The rate constant for a first order reaction is 60 s-1. How much time would it take to reduce 1 g
of the reactant to 0.0625 g?
72. The rate constant for a first order reaction increases form 4 x 10-2 to 8 x 10-2 when the
temperature changes from 270C to 370C. Calculate the energy of activation for the reaction.
73. For a reaction, the activation energy is zero. What is the value of rate constant at 300 if k = 1.6 x
106 s-1 at 280K.
74. The slope of a line in the graph of log K versus 1/T for a reaction is -5841 K. Calculate energy of
activation for the reaction.
75. The activation energy of a reaction is 75.2 kj/mol in the absence of a catalyst and 50.14 kJ/mol in
the presence of a catalyst. How many times will the reaction grow in the presence of catalyst if
the reaction proceeds at 250C?
76. The rate of reaction becomes quadruple when the temperature changes from 300 to 350K.
Calculate the activation energy.
77. In the Arrhenius equation for a certain reaction, the value of A and Ea are 4 x 1013 s-1 and 98.6
kJ/mol respectively. If the reaction is of first order, at what temperature will its life period will
be 10 minutes/