unit 2

The rate of reaction is the speed at which a reaction takes place. It can be measured as the rate of formation of a product or the rate of removal of a reactant.

Rate = change in a measured quantity / time taken 

Chemists have found that they can vary the rates of reaction by controlling factors such as:

• temperature 
• surface area/size of solid particles
• concentration of solutions
• presence of a catalyst

The following reactions are the most often used:

1) A metal reacting with a dilute acid. These…