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Zero Order Reaction

In any chemical reaction, observers expect things to occur in a certain order. The order of reactions depends largely on how volatile substances involved are and in what concentration they exist in the chemical mix.

A zero-order reaction, however, is independent of the concentration of the reactants. A higher concentration of reactants will not speed up the zero-order reaction. A reaction of this sort is generally found when a catalyst, surface, or other material required for the reaction is saturated by the reactants in this reaction.

Another way of describing a zero-order reaction is that if concentration data is plotted versus time, the result is a straight line. A zero-order reaction does not speed up or slow down (which would cause a curve); instead, it reacts at a steady pace. The rate of reaction is always a constant, therefore when it ends it stops abruptly.

Zero-order reactions are expected to go on in a chemical reaction first, no matter what else happens. Zero-order reactions frequently must occur in order to provide reactive substances for first, second, and third order reactions.

Web Resources On Zero Order Reaction

An Easily Demonstrated Zero-Order Reaction in Solution
Chemical Kinetics: Rate Laws, Arrhenius Equation - Experiments

Book Resources On Zero Order Reaction

Strategic Applications of Named Reactions in Organic Synthesis by Laszlo Kurti & Barbara Czako
Chemical Reaction Engineering by Octave Levenspiel

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