Reduction:
A redox reaction occurs when there is both oxidation and reduction in the equation. Oxidation number in elements = 0; oxidation number in simple ions = charge; oxidation number in hydrogen ions in metal = -1; oxidation number in hydrogen ions in non-metals = +1; oxidation number of oxygen as an oxide = -2; oxidation number of oxygen as a peroxide = -1.
Oxidizing agents are basically the nice people who keep contributing their oxygen ions and get their oxidation number decreased, but they also steal all the electrons and hydrogen ions. Reducing agents are the shitty tyrants who snatch away everybody's oxygen ions but they're like Robin Hood or something because they give their electrons and hydrogen ions away. Although the correct terms are really oxygen/hydrogen/electron ACCEPTOR and oxygen/hydrogen/electron DONOR but who cares.
Speed of Reaction
Ooooh I like this one.
The rate of reaction is affected by the following factors:
Temperature-
The temperature of the solution is proportional to the rate of reaction. The higher the temperature, the faster the rate of reaction. This is because when there's more heat, the particles possess more energy and move about more vigorously, increasing the frequency of collision, and thus there are higher chances of effective collisions. Also, the increase in temperature results ina larger number of particles possessing energy greater than or equal to the activation energy, thus more successful collisions will occur.
Pressure-
The higher the pressure, the faster the rate of reaction. A higher pressure would mean that the distance between the particles have decreased, thus the chances of them colliding with each other increases and this also increases the frequency of effective collisions.
Particle Size-
The smaller the particles, the faster the rate of reaction; the surface area of the particles increase pretty drastically when the reactant is in powder form compared to the reactant in a solid rock. This then causes an increase in the frequency of collisions, and yeah yeah yeah effective collisions blah.
Concentration-
An increase in the concentration of the solution means that there is a higher amount of particles per unit volume. The particles are closer together, so there is a higher chance of them banging into each other. Then suddenly, BOOM, there's a reaction because there's been an effective collision.
Catalyst-
A catalyst provides an alternative route for particles with lower activation energy. More particles will then be able to react with the... other particles? due to the reduced activation energy and there will be an increase in the rate of reaction.
By the way, a catalyst remains chemically unchanged despite being banged around by a million and one particles although the state can very well be changed. The catalyst is also not used up by the end of the reaction.
Yeah, that's all. I don't give a shit about anything else. I'm going to contemplate writing the next chapter of MMHOI and moan over the fact that I'll never be able to complete Hate Me because of my lack of inspiration. If you think you can continue the story, tell me. I'll gladly hand it over to you. [:
Labels: i hate chemistry
i could spend my life in this sweet surrender;