
Answer
First-Order Kinetics Calculation
For a first-order reaction, the time t required for the concentration of a reactant to change from [R]0 to [R] is given by the integrated rate law:
t = (2.303 / k) × log([R]0 / [R])
Given:
- Rate constant, k = 0.03 s⁻¹
- Initial concentration, [R]0 = 7.2 mol·L⁻¹
- Final concentration, [R] = 0.9 mol·L⁻¹
Step 1: Calculate the ratio
[R]0 / [R] = 7.2 / 0.9 = 8
Step 2: Calculate the logarithm
log(8) = log(2³) = 3 × log(2) = 3 × 0.301 ≈ 0.903
Step 3: Plug into the equation
t = (2.303 / 0.03) × 0.903 ≈ 76.77 × 0.903 ≈ 69.3 s
Conclusion: The time required for the concentration to drop from 7.2 mol·L⁻¹ to 0.9 mol·L⁻¹ is approximately 69.3 seconds.