Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 60: Problem 13

For a certain chemical reaction \(\Delta G^{\circ}=200 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}\). When the reactants are mixed, no chemical reaction is apparent. Is this reaction under thermodynamic or kinetic control?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The reaction is under kinetic control.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the terms

Thermodynamic control refers to a condition where the reaction pathway and the final product distribution depend on the differences in the stability of the products. Kinetic control, on the other hand, refers to a condition where the pathway and distribution of products depend on the relative rates (kinetics) of the reaction paths.
02

Interpret the given information

Here, the given Gibbs free energy, \(\Delta G^{\circ}\) is positive (+200 kJ/mol), which means the reaction is not spontaneous under standard conditions. Secondly, since there is no chemical reaction apparent, it indicates that the reaction is not taking place or is taking place very slowly.
03

Determine the type of control

The positive value for \(\Delta G^{\circ}\) suggests that this reaction is not thermodynamically favorable. However, if the barriers for the reaction to occur are high, this may cause the reaction to take place slowly or not at all, despite being thermodynamically feasible. In this given scenario, since even though \(\Delta G^{\circ}\) is positive, but still the reaction is not happening, this means that the reaction is under kinetic control, because a kinetic barrier is preventing, or at least retarding, the reaction from happening.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

For a certain chemical reaction \(\Delta G^{\circ}=-200 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}\). When the reactants are mixed, no chemical reaction is apparent. Is this reaction under thermodynamic or kinetic control?

What one feature of a reaction coordinate diagram is indicative of kinetic control of a reaction? Explain. a) \(\quad \Delta H^{\circ}<0\) b) \(\quad \Delta H^{\circ}>0\) c) Activation energy is large d) Activation energy is small
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free