Kinetics of gases and chemical reactions

Course Code :1001WETKGR
Study domain:Chemistry
Academic year:2017-2018
Semester:2nd semester
Sequentiality:Minimum 8/20 for "Fundamentals of Chemistry I", "Fundamentals of Chemistry II, incl. practical", "Physics I".
Contact hours:30
Study load (hours):84
Contract restrictions: No contract restriction
Language of instruction:Dutch
Exam period:exam in the 2nd semester
Lecturer(s)Annemie Bogaerts

3. Course contents *

This course consists of two parts. In the first part ("kinetic gas theory"), we try to make quantitative links between the macroscopic properties of gases on one hand, and the microscopic properties of molecules/atoms on the other hand. This will be done, based on the  model of kinetic gas theory. We study (among others) the molecular motion of gases, the Maxwell velocity- and energy distribution, collisions between molecules and with the wall, transport properties in gases (diffusion, viscosity and heat conduction). We also discuss the difference between ideal and real gases.
In the second part ("chemical reaction kinetics"), we treat first the basic concepts: definition of reaction rate, rate constants and reaction order, rate equations for different kind of reactions (first and second order, reaction near equilibrium...), the Arrhenius equation, elementary reactions, the steady-state approximation,... Next, these basic principles will be used to describe more complex reactions, such as chain reactions, polymerization, catalysis, oscillating reactions and photochemistry. Finally, we discuss the meaning of the rate constants, and we try to make a link with properties of the reacting molecules, using the collision theory (for gas phase reactions), the diffusion equation (for reactions in solution), the activated complex theory (Eyring equation and thermodynamic approximation), and molecular reaction dynamics.
Beside the theoretical basis, a lot of attention is paid to applications of the theory, by numerical examples and solving simple scientific problems (by portfolio).

This course contributes to realizing the following general aims of the Bachelor education Chemistry: B1, B2, B6.