MACHAKOS UNIVERSITY

University Examinations 2020/2021 Academic Year

SCHOOL OF PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES
THIRD YEAR FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION FOR
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY)
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (SPECIAL EDUCATION)
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION (SCIENCE)
SCH 305: CHEMICAL KINETICS
DATE: 16/8/2021 TIME: 11:00 – 1:00 PM
INSTRUCTIONS:
• The paper consists of two sections.
• Section A is compulsory (30 marks).
• Answer any two questions from section B (each 20 marks).

Required data
• Gas constant, R = 8.314 J K-1 mol-1 (0.08206 L atm K-1 mol-1)
• 0 ºC = 273.15 K

Examination Irregularity is punishable by expulsion Page 1 of 4

SECTION A - COMPULSORY.
QUESTION ONE (30 MARKS)
a) Define the following terms as used in chemical kinetics:
i. Complex reactions (1 mark)
ii. Molecularity of a reaction (1 mark)
iii. Half-life of a reaction (1 mark)
iv. Steady state approximation (1 mark)
v. Rate determining step of a reaction (1 mark)
b) Nitric oxide combines with hydrogen as follows; 2NO(g) + 2H2(g) → N2(g) + 2H2O(l). From
the following experimental data;
Experiment [NO] (M) [H2] (M) Initial Rate (M/s)
1 0.420 0.122 0.1360
2 0.210 0.122 0.0339
3 0.210 0.244 0.0678
4 0.105 0.488 0.0339
Determine the:
i. Rate law for the reaction (4 marks)
ii. Overall order of the reaction (1 mark)
iii. Rate constant (2 marks)
iv. Rate of reaction when [NO] = 0.550 M and [H2] = 0.199 M (2 marks)
c) Using the data below obtained from a certain reaction;
T (°C) 189.7 198.9 230.3 251.2
K (s-1) 2.52 x 10-5 5.25 x 10-5 6.30 x 10-4 3.16 x 10-3
Determine the:
i. Activation energy of the reaction (4 marks)
ii. Rate constant for the reaction at 540 K (2 marks)
iii. Arrhenius factor, A (2 marks)
d) The rate law for the reaction; 2NO2(g) + F2(g) → 2NO2F(g) was experimentally found to be;
Rate = k[NO2][F2]. Determine the;
i. Plausible mechanism for the reaction (3 marks)
ii. Rate-determining step for the reaction (1 mark)

Examination Irregularity is punishable by expulsion Page 2 of 4

e) Given the following information;
Concentration (M) 1.00 0.50 0.33
Time (s) 10 20 30
i. Proof that the above data support a second order reaction (3 marks)
ii. Determine the value of the rate constant, k for the reaction (1 mark)

SECTION B: ANSWER ANY TWO QUESTIONS

QUESTION TWO (20 MARKS)
a) Explain the effect of a catalyst on the rate of a chemical reaction. (2 marks)
b) In enzyme-catalyzed reactions, the kinetic parameters are determined by the Michaelis–
ν max [S]
Menten equation. Show that ν = where v is the initial rate of reaction, [S] is the
K M + [S]
substrate concentration and KM is the Michaelis constant (8 marks)
c) The initial reaction rates (vo) at various substrate concentrations for an enzyme-catalyzed
reaction are as follows:
[S]/10-4 M 2.1 4.2 9.3 14.2
vo /10-6 M min-1 1.2 3.1 6.3 9.1

i. Show that the above data obeys the Michaelis- Menten kinetics (5 marks)
ii. Determine the vmax of the reaction (1 mark)
iii. Calculate the Michaelis constant (KM) for the reaction (2 marks)
iv. Explain the significance of Michaelis constant (KM) (2 marks)

QUESTION THREE (20 MARKS)

a) Explain the use of the following methods in the determination of the order of a chemical
reaction
i. Isolation method (3 marks)
ii. Integral method (3 marks)
b) i Differentiate between a third order reaction and a chain reaction (2 marks)
ii Explain the essential features of a chain reaction using the photochemical reaction
between hydrogen and halogens (bromine, chlorine and iodine). (12 marks)

Examination Irregularity is punishable by expulsion Page 3 of 4

QUESTION FOUR (20 MARKS)
a) Explain how the following factors affect the reaction rate of a chemical reaction
i. Nature of reactants (2 marks)
ii. Concentration of reactants (2 marks)
iii. Temperature (2 marks)
iv. Catalyst (2 marks)
b) An explosion occurs when a reaction rate accelerates out of control:
i. Explain the mechanism of explosions (3 marks)
ii. Explain the factors that affect the explosion limits of chain reactions (6 marks)
c) Explain the Lindemann-Hinshelwood Mechanism (3 marks)

QUESTION FIVE (20 MARKS)

a) Using relevant equations, explain the following reactions:
i. Simultaneous reactions (2 marks)
ii. Consecutive reactions (2 marks)
iii. Parallel reactions (2 marks)
d [ A]
b) The kinetic equation for a reaction of order n in substance A is written as: − = k[ A]n .
dt

 2 n−1 − 1 
Show that the half-life, t1/2, of the reaction is: ln t1/ 2 = ln  − (n − 1) ln A0 such that
 k (n − 1) 
A0 is the initial molar concentration of substance A. (8 marks)

c) Derive the kinetic equation of a second order reaction, in a single substance and show that
the half-life (t1/2) is a function of the initial concentration (6 marks)

Examination Irregularity is punishable by expulsion Page 4 of 4