18 Kinetics

AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

1 a The data in the following table were obtained in two experiments about the
rate of the reaction between substances B and C at a constant temperature.

Initial concentration Initial concentration

Experiment Initial rate/mol dm3 s1
of B/mol dm3 of C/mol dm3
1 4.2 × 10 2 2.6 × 10 2 8.4 × 10 5
2 6.3 × 10 2 7.8 × 10 2 To be calculated

The rate equation for this reaction is known to be:

rate  k [B]2[C]

i Use the data from Experiment 1 to calculate a value for the rate constant
k at this temperature and deduce its units.

Calculation

Units (3 marks)

ii Calculate a value for the initial rate in Experiment 2.

(1 mark)

b The data in the following table were obtained in a series of experiments about
the rate of the reaction between substances D and E at a constant
temperature.

Initial concentration Initial concentration Initial rate/

Experiment
of D/mol dm3 of E/mol dm3 mol dm3 s1
3 0.13 0.23 0.26 × 10 3
4 0.39 0.23 2.34 × 10 3
5 0.78 0.46 9.36 × 10 3

i Deduce the order of reaction with respect to D.

(1 mark)

ii Deduce the order of reaction with respect to E.

(1 mark)

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 18 Kinetics
AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

c The compound (CH3)3CBr reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide as shown

in the following equation.
(CH3)3CBr  OH  → (CH3)3COH  Br 
This reaction was found to be first order with respect to (CH3)3CBr but zero
order with respect to hydroxide ions.
The following two-step process was suggested.
Step 1 (CH3)3CBr → (CH3)3C   Br 
Step 2 (CH3)3C   OH  → (CH3)3COH
i Deduce the rate-determining step in this two-step process.

(1 mark)

ii Outline a mechanism for this step using a curly arrow.

(1 mark)

AQA Chemistry, 2013, Unit 4 (Question 1)

2 The rate of hydrolysis of an ester X (HCOOCH2CH2CH3) was studied in alkaline

conditions at a given temperature. The rate was found to be first order with
respect to the ester and first order with respect to hydroxide ions.
a i Name ester X.

(1 mark)

ii Using X to represent the ester, write a rate equation for this hydrolysis
reaction.

(1 mark)

iii When the initial concentration of X was 0.024 mol dm3 and the initial
concentration of hydroxide ions was 0.035 mol dm3, the initial rate of the
reaction was 8.5 × 105 mol dm3 s1.
Calculate a value for the rate constant at this temperature and give its units.

Calculation

Units (3 marks)

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 18 Kinetics
AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

iv In a second experiment at the same temperature, water was added to

the original reaction mixture so that the total volume was doubled.
Calculate the initial rate of reaction in this second experiment.

(1 mark)

v In a third experiment at the same temperature, the concentration of X

was half that used in the experiment in part (a) (iii) and the concentration
of hydroxide ions was three times the original value.
Calculate the initial rate of reaction in this third experiment.

(1 mark)

vi State the effect, if any, on the value of the rate constant k when the
temperature is lowered but all other conditions are kept constant.
Explain your answer.

Effect

Explanation
(2 marks)

b Compound A reacts with compound B as shown by the overall equation:

A  3B → AB3
The rate equation for the reaction is:
rate  k[A][B]2
A suggested mechanism for the reaction is:
Step 1 A  B → AB
Step 2 AB  B → AB2
Step 3 AB2  B → AB3

Deduce which one of the three steps is the rate-determining step.

Explain your answer.

Rate-determining step

Explanation
(2 marks)

AQA Chemistry, 2011, Unit 4 (Question 1)

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 18 Kinetics
AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

3 a The following table shows the results of three experiments carried out at the
same temperature to investigate the rate of the reaction between compounds
P and Q.

Experiment 1 Experiment 2 Experiment 3

Initial concentration of P/mol dm3 0.50 0.25 0.25
Initial concentration of Q/mol dm3 0.36 0.36 0.72
Initial rate/mol dm3 s1 7.6 × 103 1.9 × 103 3.8 × 103

Use the data in the table to deduce the order with respect to P and the order
with respect to Q.

Order with respect to P

Order with respect to Q (2 marks)

b In a reaction between R and S, the order of reaction with respect to R is one,

the order of reaction with respect to S is two, and the rate constant at
temperature T1 has a value of 4.2  104 mol2 dm6 s1.
i Write a rate equation for the reaction. Calculate a value for the initial rate
of reaction when the initial concentration of R is 0.16 mol dm3 and that of
S is 0.84 mol dm3.

Rate equation

Calculation (3 marks)

ii In a second experiment performed at a different temperature, T2, the

initial rate of reaction is 8.1 × 105 mol dm3 s1 when the initial
concentration of R is 0.76 mol dm3 and that of S is 0.98 mol dm3.
Calculate the value of the rate constant at temperature T2.

(2 marks)

iii Deduce which of T1 and T2 is the higher temperature.

(1 mark)

AQA Chemistry, 2005, Unit 4 (Question 4)

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 18 Kinetics
AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

4 a The initial rate of the reaction between compounds A and B was measured in a series
of experiments at a fixed temperature. The following rate equation was deduced.
rate  k[A][B]2
i Complete the table of data below for the reaction between A and B.
Experiment Initial [A]/ Initial [B]/ Initial rate/
mol dm3 mol dm3 mol dm3 s1
1 4.80 × 102 6.60 × 102 10.4 × 103
2 4.80 × 102 3.30 × 102
3 13.2 × 102 5.20 × 103
4 1.60 × 102 10.4 × 103

ii Using the data for Experiment 1, calculate a value for the rate constant,
k, and state its units.

Calculation

Units

(6 marks)

b State how the value of the rate constant, k, would change, if at all, if the
concentration of A were increased in a series of experiments.

(1 mark)

AQA Chemistry, 2004, Unit 4 (Question 1)

5 The hydrolysis of methyl propanoate was studied in acidic conditions at 25 °C

and the rate equation was found to be:
rate  k [CH3CH2COOCH3][H+]

a Use the data below to calculate the value of the rate constant, k, at this
temperature. Deduce its units.

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AQA Chemistry Exam-style questions

Initial rate of reaction/ Initial concentration of Initial concentration of

3 1
mol dm s methyl propanoate/mol dm3 hydrochloric acid/mol dm3
1.15 × 104 0.150 0.555

Rate constant

Units

(3 marks)

b The reaction in part (a) was repeated at the same temperature, but water was
added so that the volume of the reaction mixture was doubled. Calculate the
initial rate of reaction under these conditions.

(1 mark)

c A third experiment was carried out at a different temperature. Some data

from this experiment are shown in the table below.

Initial rate of Value of rate constant at this Initial concentration of methyl

reaction/ different temperature propanoate/mol dm3
mol dm3 s1
4.56 × 105 8.94 × 104 0.123

Calculate the initial pH of the reaction mixture. Give your answer to two
decimal places.

(3 marks)

AQA Chemistry, 2006, Unit 4 (Question 5)

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