Chemical Kinetics (Pt. 5)
The Second-Order
Integrated Rate Law
By Shawn P. Shields, Ph.D.
This work is licensed by Shawn P. Shields-Maxwell under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International License.
Recall: Differential Rate Laws
RECALL: (Differential) Rate Laws for 3 common
reaction orders:
First Order: Rate = k [A]1
Second Order: Rate = k [A]2
Zero Order: Rate = k [A]0
(No dependence of reaction rate on [A].)
Determining Reaction Order with
Integrated Rate Laws
1) Collect concentration data versus time.
2) To determine if the reaction is second
order, calculate the value of
𝟏
𝐀
for each
concentration.
3) Plot
𝟏
𝐀
versus time. If it’s a straight
line, it’s second order! 
Second-Order Integrated Rate Law
Using calculus to integrate the differential rate
law for a second-order process gives us
1
A t
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
Where,
[A]0 is the initial concentration of A, and
[A]t is the concentration of A at some time, t, during the
course of the reaction.
Second-Order Integrated Rate Law
Plotting versus time will yield a line if the
process is second order.
1
A t
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
Y = mx + b
Second-Order Plots
Graphs for a Second Order Reaction from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/principles-of-general-chemistry-
v1.0m/s18-03-methods-of-determining-reactio.html
1
A t
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
plot of A vs time
Determining Reaction Order using
Integrated Rate Laws
Step 1: Collect
concentration versus
time data.
Step 2: Calculate
the reciprocal for
each concentration
measured. (1/[A])
Time [A] 1/[A]
0 0.0400 25.000
10 0.0303 33.003
20 0.0244 40.984
30 0.0204 49.020
40 0.0175 57.143
Determining Rxn Order using Integrated Rate Laws
Step 3: Graph 1/[A] vs. time
The plot shows
a straight line.
The reaction
fits 2nd order
kinetics.
Plot for a Second Order Reaction
𝟏
𝑨 𝒕
= 𝒌𝒕 +
𝟏
𝑨 𝟎
k is the “rate
constant”
The slope of
the line is k.
k = 0.803 M1 s1
Half-Life for a Second-Order Process
Deriving the half life for a second order process:
Let [A]t = 0.5[A]0
1
0.5 A 0
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
2
A 0
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
Subtract 𝟏
A
0
from both sides…
Half-Life for a Second-Order Process
Subtract 𝟏
A
0
from both sides…
2
A 0
= 𝑘t +
1
A 0
2
A 0
−
1
A 0
= 𝑘t1
2
1
A 0
= 𝑘t1
2
1
𝑘 A 0
= t1
2
Time is now labeled
for half life with a
subscript (t1/2)
Half-Life for a Second-Order Process
𝒕 𝟏
𝟐
=
𝟏
𝒌 𝑨 𝟎
Note that the half life for a second-order
process DOES depend on the initial
concentration [A]0
Example Problems
will be posted separately.
Next up,
Microscopic Aspects of Kinetics-
Chemical Reaction Mechanisms
(Pt 6)

Chem 2 - Chemical Kinetics V: The Second-Order Integrated Rate Law

  • 1.
    Chemical Kinetics (Pt.5) The Second-Order Integrated Rate Law By Shawn P. Shields, Ph.D. This work is licensed by Shawn P. Shields-Maxwell under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
  • 2.
    Recall: Differential RateLaws RECALL: (Differential) Rate Laws for 3 common reaction orders: First Order: Rate = k [A]1 Second Order: Rate = k [A]2 Zero Order: Rate = k [A]0 (No dependence of reaction rate on [A].)
  • 3.
    Determining Reaction Orderwith Integrated Rate Laws 1) Collect concentration data versus time. 2) To determine if the reaction is second order, calculate the value of 𝟏 𝐀 for each concentration. 3) Plot 𝟏 𝐀 versus time. If it’s a straight line, it’s second order! 
  • 4.
    Second-Order Integrated RateLaw Using calculus to integrate the differential rate law for a second-order process gives us 1 A t = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 Where, [A]0 is the initial concentration of A, and [A]t is the concentration of A at some time, t, during the course of the reaction.
  • 5.
    Second-Order Integrated RateLaw Plotting versus time will yield a line if the process is second order. 1 A t = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 Y = mx + b
  • 6.
    Second-Order Plots Graphs fora Second Order Reaction from http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/principles-of-general-chemistry- v1.0m/s18-03-methods-of-determining-reactio.html 1 A t = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 plot of A vs time
  • 7.
    Determining Reaction Orderusing Integrated Rate Laws Step 1: Collect concentration versus time data. Step 2: Calculate the reciprocal for each concentration measured. (1/[A]) Time [A] 1/[A] 0 0.0400 25.000 10 0.0303 33.003 20 0.0244 40.984 30 0.0204 49.020 40 0.0175 57.143
  • 8.
    Determining Rxn Orderusing Integrated Rate Laws Step 3: Graph 1/[A] vs. time The plot shows a straight line. The reaction fits 2nd order kinetics.
  • 9.
    Plot for aSecond Order Reaction 𝟏 𝑨 𝒕 = 𝒌𝒕 + 𝟏 𝑨 𝟎 k is the “rate constant” The slope of the line is k. k = 0.803 M1 s1
  • 10.
    Half-Life for aSecond-Order Process Deriving the half life for a second order process: Let [A]t = 0.5[A]0 1 0.5 A 0 = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 2 A 0 = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 Subtract 𝟏 A 0 from both sides…
  • 11.
    Half-Life for aSecond-Order Process Subtract 𝟏 A 0 from both sides… 2 A 0 = 𝑘t + 1 A 0 2 A 0 − 1 A 0 = 𝑘t1 2 1 A 0 = 𝑘t1 2 1 𝑘 A 0 = t1 2 Time is now labeled for half life with a subscript (t1/2)
  • 12.
    Half-Life for aSecond-Order Process 𝒕 𝟏 𝟐 = 𝟏 𝒌 𝑨 𝟎 Note that the half life for a second-order process DOES depend on the initial concentration [A]0
  • 13.
    Example Problems will beposted separately. Next up, Microscopic Aspects of Kinetics- Chemical Reaction Mechanisms (Pt 6)