Example 1.2:  A number of experiments were conducted to study the decomposition reaction of acetic anhydride (first order).  Find the energy of activation and frequency factor if the following data apply:

 

 

T/°C

 

310

 

320

 

330

 

340

 

350

 

k/s-1

 

0.1177

 

0.1945

 

0.3159

 

0.5052

 

0.7957

 

Solution 

 

·         Plot ln(k) versus 1/T and draw a straight line.

Alternately, use method of least squares to obtain slope and intercept.  The values of X, Y, XY, X2, SY, SXY, SX2 are presented.

 

 

t/°C

 

k/s-1

 

X =

1/T

 

Y = ln(k)

 

XY

 

X2

 

310

 

0.1177

 

1.71 ´ 10-3

 

-2.139

 

-3.67 ´ 10-3

 

2.94 ´ 10-6

 

320

 

0.1945

 

1.69 ´ 10-3

 

-1.638

 

-2.76 ´ 10-3

 

2.84 ´ 10-6

 

330

 

0.3159

 

1.66 ´ 10-3

 

-1.152

 

-1.91 ´ 10-3

 

2.75 ´ 10-6

 

340

 

0.5052

 

1.63 ´ 10-3

 

-0.683

 

-1.11 ´ 10-3

 

2.66 ´ 10-6

 

350

 

0.7957

 

1.60 ´ 10-3

 

-0.229

 

-3.67 ´ 10-4

 

2.58 ´ 10-6

 

S

 

 

 

8.29 ´ 10-3

 

-5.841

 

-9.82 ´ 10-3

 

1.38 ´ 10-5

 

·         Slope, m (Equation 1.2):

 

 

·         Energy of activation, E = -Rm = 1.9872 ´ (-1.736´104) = 3.45 ´ 104 cal/mol

 

·         Intercept, I (Equation 1.3):

 

 

 

·         Frequency factor, A = exp(I) = exp(27.631) = 1.0 ´ 1012 s-1.