Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Chemical Kinetics

Chemistry, by its very nature, is related with change. Substances with well-defined properties are converted by chemical reactions into other substances with distinct properties. For any chemical reaction, chemists try to find out the practicality of a chemical reaction which can be predicted by thermodynamics, extent to which a reaction will continue can be determined from chemical equilibrium and speed of a reaction i.e. time taken by a reaction to reach equilibrium. Along with viability and extent, it is equally important to know the rate and the factors controlling the rate of chemical reaction for its thorough understanding. For example, which parameters determine as to how rapidly food gets spoiled? How to design a rapidly setting material for dental filling? Or what controls the rate at which fuel ignites in an auto engine? All these questions can be answered by the branch of chemistry, which deals with the study of reaction rates and their mechanisms, called chemical kinetics.