Question

For a chemical reaction $R\to P$, the variation in the concentration $\left(R\right)$ vs. time $\left(t\right)$ plot of solution is given as above.
(i) Predict the order of the reaction.
(ii) What is the slope of the curve?

Answer 1

(i) The variation in the concentration (R) vs. time (t) plot shown here represents a zero order reaction, for which the rate of the reaction is proportional to zero power of the concentration of the reactants.

(ii) For a zero order reaction, rate constant is given as

$\left[R\right]=[R{]}^o-kt$

So, the slope of the curve for the variation in the concentration (R) vs. time (t) plot is equal to the negative of the rate constant for the reaction.