Chemical Kinetics
Contributors
Summary
This module teaches fundamental concepts in chemical kinetics for General Chemistry using examples of water quality and water treatment. Key chemistry topics include concentration vs. time data; rate constants (k); reaction order; rate law expressions (including integrated rate laws); determining rates, rate laws, and rate constants from graphical and/or tabulated data; half-life; Arrhenius relationships; activation energy; reaction coordinate diagrams; and chemical mechanisms.
The context of this module ties closely to green and sustainable chemistry as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN-SDG) 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Context-related topics include where water is sourced, trade-offs between disinfecting water and forming disinfection byproducts, and specific reactions important for water treatment. The module situates drinking water sources, drinking water treatment, and impacts of drinking water quality in an interconnected system.
To address prevalent misunderstandings in the field of kinetics, activities and concepts aim to clarify the relationship between equations, graphs, and the molecular viewpoint. Course material includes lecture slides (i.e., PowerPoint), small group or think-pair-share activities, guided exercises, and summative quiz or exam questions. The out-of-class activities include hands-on computer simulations based on a freely- accessible version of the Stella platform. These activities are meant to enhance student engagement with the material and facilitate the interpretation of kinetics graphs, data, and equations.
The GCTLC learning object external link takes you to the ACS GCI website to download the learning materials. Once there, use the Module Overview document to guide you through using these impactful learning materials.
This module was developed by Katherine B. Aubrecht and John B. Randazzo for the green chemistry educational module project with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute; Sarah Kennedy and David Laviska edited, reviewed, and published the module.
The context of this module ties closely to green and sustainable chemistry as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN-SDG) 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Context-related topics include where water is sourced, trade-offs between disinfecting water and forming disinfection byproducts, and specific reactions important for water treatment. The module situates drinking water sources, drinking water treatment, and impacts of drinking water quality in an interconnected system.
To address prevalent misunderstandings in the field of kinetics, activities and concepts aim to clarify the relationship between equations, graphs, and the molecular viewpoint. Course material includes lecture slides (i.e., PowerPoint), small group or think-pair-share activities, guided exercises, and summative quiz or exam questions. The out-of-class activities include hands-on computer simulations based on a freely- accessible version of the Stella platform. These activities are meant to enhance student engagement with the material and facilitate the interpretation of kinetics graphs, data, and equations.
The GCTLC learning object external link takes you to the ACS GCI website to download the learning materials. Once there, use the Module Overview document to guide you through using these impactful learning materials.
This module was developed by Katherine B. Aubrecht and John B. Randazzo for the green chemistry educational module project with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute; Sarah Kennedy and David Laviska edited, reviewed, and published the module.
Link to external