PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025

2011/2012 (UPS SK 026)

1. Decomposition of dinitrogen pentoxide, N2O5, upon heating is a first order reaction.
2N2O5(g) → 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
(a) Write the differential rate equation for the reaction.
(b) Determine the rate of formation of O2 if the rate of disappearance of N2O5 is 1.25 x 10–2 M min–1.
(c) Calculate the rate constant for the reaction if 25 % of N2O5 decomposes in 10 minutes.
(d) Determine the half-life for the decomposition reaction.
(e) Suggest two factors that will increase the rate of above reaction. Explain.

2011/2012 (PSPM SK 026)

2. (a) A radioactive element K with an initial concentration of 3.5 x 10–6 mol L–1 undergoes
decomposition reaction at 25˚C. The rate constant of the reaction is 3.17 year–1.
Determine the order of decomposition reaction of K. Explain your answer.
Calculate the concentration of element K after 6 months and time taken for the concentration to
reduce to 1.75 x 10–6 mol L–1.
(b) Define activation energy
The rate constant for the forward reaction of a reaction between hydrogen gas and iodine gas is
138 L mol–1 s–1. The activation energy for the reaction is 165 kJ mol–1 at 700 °C.
H2(g) + I2(g) → 2HI(g) ΔH = –9.48 kJ mol–1
Sketch and label an energy profile diagram for this reaction.
Determine the activation energy and rate constant for the reverse reaction at 700°C.
(Assume Arrhenius factor, A is the same for both forward and reverse reactions).

2012/2013 (UPS SK 026)

3. (a) FIGURE 2 shows the graph for the decomposition of N2O5.

(i) Determine the order of reaction.

(ii) Write the rate law.
(iii) If the slope of the graph is –6.18 x 10–4 min–1, calculate the half-life of the decomposition
reaction.
(b) State two conditions for effective collision between reacting molecules.

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
(c) The equation for the decomposition of nitrosyl chloride, NOCI,is shown below:
2NOCl → 2NO + Cl2
Given the rate constant, k, at 100 oC and 130 oC are 9.30 x 10–5 L mol–1 s–1 and
1.00 x 10–3 L mol–1 s–1 respectively. Determine the activation energy, Ea, for the reaction in
kJ mol–1.

2012/2013 (PSPM SK 026)

4. (a) L reacts with M according to the equation
L+M→N
The results of the experiment are given in TABLE 1.
Initial rate of reaction /
Experiment [L] / mol L–1 [M] / mol L–1
mol L–1 s–1
1 0.001 0.004 0.002
2 0.002 0.004 0.008
3 0.004 0.001 0.008
4 0.004 0.002 0.016
Based on the data given in TABLE 1, determine the order of the reaction with respect to L and
M, and calculate the rate constant for the reaction.
(b) Discuss the effect of temperature and activation energy, Ea on the rate constant, k of a reaction
using Arrhenius equation.
Explain effect of temperature on reaction rate using Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve.

2013/2014 (UPS SK 026)

5. (a) Mercury(II) chloride reacts with oxalate ion according to the following equation:
2HgCl2(aq) + C2O42–(aq) → 2Cl–(aq) + 2CO2(g) + Hg2Cl2(s)
The results of the experiment are shown in TABLE 1.
[HgCl2] [C2O42–] Initial rate
Experiment
(mol dm–3) (mol dm–3) (mol dm–3 h–1)
I 0.632 0.049 1.0 x 10–3
II 0.948 0.049 1.0 x 10–3
III 0.632 0.098 4.0 x 10–3
(i) Determine the order of reaction with respect to HgCl2 and C2O42–.
(ii) Calculate the value of the rate constant.
(iii) If the initial concentration of C2O42– is 2.8 M, what is the concentration of C2O42– after
3.25 hours.
(b) (i) State two factors affecting reaction rate.
(ii) The activation energy for a reaction is 50.2 kJ mol–1 and the rate constant of the reaction is
3.46 x 10–2 at 298 K. Calculate the temperature if the rate constant is 6.30 x 10–4 s–1.

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
2013/2014 (PSPM SK 026)
6. Define order of reaction and activation energy.
The following reaction is first order with respect to NO2 and zero order with respect to O2.
2NO2 + ½ O2 → N2O5
In an experiment, the rate constant, k, was determined at different temperatures and the data were
tabulated in TABLE 1.
Temperature (K) k (s–1)
477 1.8 x 10–4
523 2.7 x 10–3
577 3.0 x 10–2
667 2.6 x 10–1
Write the rate law of this reaction and determine graphically the activation energy, Ea (in kJ mol–1) for
the reaction.
In another experiment, the reaction is first order with an activation energy of 111 kJ mol–1. If the rate
constant, k, is 2.00 x 10–5 s–1 at 50 oC, determine the frequency factor, A. At what temperature, the
value of k will be equal to 1.5 x 10–3 s–1?

2014/2015 (UPS SK 026)

7. (a) From the differential rate equation given below, write a balanced equation for the reaction
involved.
1 𝑑[𝑁2 𝑂5 ] 1 𝑑[𝑁𝑂2 ] 𝑑[𝑂2 ]
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 = − =+ =+
2 𝑑𝑡 4 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
(b) Given, rate = k[NO2]2[Cl2], by what factor does the rate increase if each of the following
changes occurs.
(i) [NO2] is triplet
(ii) [NO2] and [Cl2] is doubled
(c) Compound X decomposes according to the equation:
X → Product
It was found that 50% of X had decomposed after 100 minutes. How much of X will remain
after 150 minutes if the reaction is first order?
(d) The curve below shows the energy distribution for collisions between chlorine atoms, Cl, and
ozone molecules, O3, at temperature T1(K). Ea represents the activation energy for the reaction:
Cl + O3 → ClO + O2

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
(i) Redraw the diagram and shade the area on the graph that represents the number of
molecules with sufficient energy that can lead to the formation of products.
(ii) On your graph, sketch a curve that represents energy distribution for the collision if the
temperature of the reactants is increased by 10 K to T2 (K). Give a conclusion based on the
curved sketched.

2014/2015 (PSPM SK 026)

8. (a) Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, reacts with potassium iodide, KI in the presence of hydrochloric acid,
HCl, according to the following equation:
H2O2(aq) + 2I–(aq) + 2H+(aq) → H2O(l) + I2(s)
The rate equation for the reaction is rate = k[H2O2][I–]
State the order of reaction with respect with to KI and HCl and the overall order of the reaction.
TABLE 2 shows the experimental results obtained for the above reaction. Predict the values of
G, H and J and calculate the rate constant. If the reaction is carried out at a higher temperature,
would the value of the rate constant change?
Initial rate Initial concentration (mol dm–3)
(mol dm–3 s–1) [H2O2] [H+] [I–]
1.0 x 10–4 0.1 0.1 0.1
2.0 x 10–4 G 0.1 0.1
1.0 x 10–4 0.1 0.2 H
J 0.2 0.1 0.2
(b) The rate constant for the reaction below is 0.0234 s–1 at 400 oC and 0.750 s–1 at 500 oC. Calculate
the activation energy, Ea in kJ mol–1 for this reaction.
N2O(g) + NO(g) → N2(g) + NO2(g) ΔH = –110 kJ mol–1
Draw a labelled energy profile diagram for the reaction and calculate Ea for the reversed
reaction.

2015/2016 (UPS SK 026)

9. (a) TABLE 1 shows the data obtained from the following isomerisation reaction at 25 °C.
A(aq) → B(aq)
Experiment [A] (mol L–1) Rate of reaction (mol L–1 min–1)
1 0.25 3.0 x 10–5
2 0.50 12.0 x 10–5
3 1.00 Z
(i) Determine the order of reaction.
(ii) Calculate the rate constant for this reaction.
(iii) Determine the value of Z.
(b) The following reaction has an activation energy of 120 kJ.
2NO2 → 2NO + O2 ΔH = –113 kJ
(i) Define activation energy.
(ii) Draw and label the energy profile diagram for the above reaction.
(iii) Determine the activation energy for the reverse reaction.

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
2015/2016 (PSPM SK 026)
10. (a) The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 is according to the following equation:
H2O2(aq) → H2O(l) + ½O2(g)
The rate constant for the decomposition of 2.32 mol dm–3 H2O2 is 7.30 X 10–4 s–1. Plot a graph
based on the data in table below. From the plot, determine the order and half-life of the reaction.
Time (s) 0 200 400 600 1200 1800 3000
[H2O2] (mol dm–3) 2.32 2.01 1.72 1.49 0.98 0.62 0.25
Calculate the concentration of H2O2 at 1600 s and the percentage of H2O2 decomposed up to
1600 s.
(b) Both reaction rate and rate constant are temperature dependent. Briefly explain the effect of
temperature on reaction rate by using Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution curve.

2016/2017 (PSPM SK 026)

11. (a) Reactant S react to form product T and V at constant temperature according to the following
reaction,
S→T+V
In an experiment, the data obtained were shown in TABLE 1
Time (min) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Concentration of S
4.50 3.10 2.38 1.92 1.60 1.40 1.22
(mol dm–3)
Using integrated law method, plot a graph to prove that the above reaction follows second order.
Calculate the value of the rate constant, half-life and write the rate law for this reaction. Based
on your graph, determine the concentration of S at 1500 s.
(b) In a reaction W → X, the initial rate is 2.25 x 10–3 mol dm–3 s–1 when the concentration of W is
0.33 mol dm–3. If the reaction is first order kinetics, calculate the initial rate of the reaction when
the concentration of W is 0.85 mol dm–3.
Given the rate constants for the first order reaction at 25 oC and 35 oC are at 1.74 x10–5 s–1 and
6.61 x10–5 s–1 respectively, determine its activation energy. Other than temperature, discuss two
(2) factors that will affect reaction rate.

2017/2018 (PSPM SK 026)

12. N2O5 decomposes to NO2 and O2 according to the following chemical equation:
2N2O5(g) → 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
TABLE 1 shows the changes in N2O5 concentration against time when the reaction is performed at
50 oC.
[N2O5]/M 1.00 0.77 0.60 0.45 0.35 0.27
Time/min 0 1 2 3 4 5
Determine the order and the rate constant for the reaction using a linear graph method.
From the graph, what is the half-life of the reaction?
Given the Ea of this reaction is 58 kJ mol–1, calculate the rate constant at 65 oC.
Compare the rate constants at the two temperatures and explain it in terms of collision theory.
Describe how the addition of catalyst affects the rate of the reaction.
[20 marks]

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
2018/2019 (SK 025)
13. (a) On heating, dinitrogen pentoxide, N2O5 decomposes as follows:
2N2O5(g) → 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
The reaction is first order with respect to N2O5.
(i) Determine the rate of formation of O2 if the rate of disappearance of N2O5 is
1.25 x 10–2 M min–1.
(ii) Calculate the rate constant for this reaction if 25 % of N2O5 is decomposed within
10 minutes.
(iii) Determine the half-life for this decomposition reaction.
[7 marks]
(b) TABLE 1 shows the rate constants for the decomposition of N2O5 at two different temperatures.
Temperature (oC) Rate constant (s–1)
25.0 1.74 x 10–5
35.0 6.61 x 10–5
(i) Determine the activation energy, Ea for this reaction in kJ mol–1.
(ii) Activation energy can also be determined graphically. Sketch the graph and explain
briefly.
[7 marks]

2019/2020 (SK 025)

14. (a) The data for the reaction between methyl ethanoate, CH3COOCH3, with hydroxide ion, OH–, at a
certain temperature is shown in TABLE 1.
TABLE 1
Experiment [CH3COOCH3] / M [OH–] / M Initial rate / M s–1 x 10–3
1 0.050 0.120 1.58
2 0.050 0.154 2.03
3 0.084 0.154 3.40
4 0.084 0.200 4.42
(i) Determine the order of reaction with respect to each reactant.
(ii) Write the rate law for the reaction.
(iii) Calculate the rate constant.
(iv) How many times will the rate increase if the concentrations of both CH3COOCH3 and are
doubled?
[9 marks]

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PAST EXAM PSPM SEMESTER II CHAPTER 1 : REACTION KINETICS | SK025
2019/2020 (SK 025)
14. (b) The decomposition of NH3 to N2 and H2 at 450 oC was studied on the surfaces of tungsten and
osmium catalysts. The profile diagram for the reaction using each catalyst is given in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 1
(i) Which catalyst is better for this reaction? Explain.
(ii) The activation energy for the above reaction using tungsten catalyst is 163 kJ mol–1. How
many times faster is the reaction if the temperature is increased to 550 oC?
[5 marks]

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