Lecture

Chemical Reaction Mechanisms: Chain React

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In course

CH-160(en): Advanced general chemistry (english)

This course aims to teach essential notions of the structure of matter, chemical equilibria and reactivity. Classes and exercises provide the means to analyze and solve, by reasoning and calculation, novel problems of geeneral chemistry. ...

Description

This lecture covers reaction mechanisms, including elementary reactions, rate laws, and chain reactions. It explains the concepts of molecularity, catalysis, and catalytic converters. The instructor discusses examples such as hydrogenation and enzyme catalysis, emphasizing the lock-and-key model. The lecture also delves into galvanic cells, standard potentials, and electromotive force in batteries, providing insights into redox reactions and free energy. Key topics include the Daniell cell, salt bridges, and the measurement of standard potentials. The session concludes with discussions on equilibrium constants, calorimetry, and spontaneous changes in redox reactions.

Instructors (2)

Thomas Rizzo

EDUCATION Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1983 B.S., Chemistry, cum laude, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1978 ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS Dean, Faculty of Basic Sciences, EPFL, 2004-present Head, Department of Chemistry, EPFL, 1997-2004 Professor of Chemistry, EPFL, 1994-present Professor of Chemistry, University of Rochester, 1993-1994 Assistant Professor of Chemistry, University of Rochester, 1986-1992 Research Associate, The James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, 1984-1986

Samuel Terrettaz

Teaching & PhD Courses Advanced general chemistry CH-160(f) This course aims at the acquisition of essential notions on the structure of matter, chemical equilibria and reactivity. Theoretical teaching and exercise provide the methodology to analyze and solve by reasoning and calculation novel problems of general chemistry. Advanced general chemistry CH-160(g) This course aims at the acquisition of essential notions on the structure of matter, chemical equilibria and reactivi

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Chemistry

Physical chemistry: Electrochemistry, Chemical kinetics

Related concepts (32)

Reaction mechanism

In chemistry, a reaction mechanism is the step by step sequence of elementary reactions by which overall chemical reaction occurs. A chemical mechanism is a theoretical conjecture that tries to describe in detail what takes place at each stage of an overall chemical reaction. The detailed steps of a reaction are not observable in most cases. The conjectured mechanism is chosen because it is thermodynamically feasible and has experimental support in isolated intermediates (see next section) or other quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the reaction.

Chemical reaction

A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the chemical transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Classically, chemical reactions encompass changes that only involve the positions of electrons in the forming and breaking of chemical bonds between atoms, with no change to the nuclei (no change to the elements present), and can often be described by a chemical equation. Nuclear chemistry is a sub-discipline of chemistry that involves the chemical reactions of unstable and radioactive elements where both electronic and nuclear changes can occur.

Chain reaction

A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that systems which are not in thermodynamic equilibrium can release energy or increase entropy in order to reach a state of higher entropy. For example, a system may not be able to reach a lower energy state by releasing energy into the environment, because it is hindered or prevented in some way from taking the path that will result in the energy release.

Reaction rate

The reaction rate or rate of reaction is the speed at which a chemical reaction takes place, defined as proportional to the increase in the concentration of a product per unit time and to the decrease in the concentration of a reactant per unit time. Reaction rates can vary dramatically. For example, the oxidative rusting of iron under Earth's atmosphere is a slow reaction that can take many years, but the combustion of cellulose in a fire is a reaction that takes place in fractions of a second.

Standard electrode potential

In electrochemistry, standard electrode potential , or , is a measure of the reducing power of any element or compound. The IUPAC "Gold Book" defines it as: "the value of the standard emf (electromotive force) of a cell in which molecular hydrogen under standard pressure is oxidized to solvated protons at the left-hand electrode". The basis for an electrochemical cell, such as the galvanic cell, is always a redox reaction which can be broken down into two half-reactions: oxidation at anode (loss of electron) and reduction at cathode (gain of electron).

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