NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

SCHOOL OF HIGHER CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

SIMPLE REACTIONS
PROBLEM 1 (basic)

The following dimerization reaction 2A → P occurs in the gas phase at 326 ºC,
obtaining the following data in a constant volume batch reactor
starting from pure 'A'.

Time (min) 0 20.78 49.50 77.57 103.58

Presión (mmHg) 632 557.9 498.8 463.5 441.1

Calculate the rate constant and the order of the reaction.

PROBLEM 2 (basic)

The reaction A 2R takes place in a hermetic reactor at volume

constant, starting from a gaseous mixture that consists of 50% mol of
an inert gas at a pressure of 3 atm and 200ºC. If the rate constant at
200ºC has a value of 3.4x10-2min– 1, calculate:

A) The half-life of the reaction at 200ºC

B) The time required to reach 75% conversion of the reactant

"A" at 200ºC

C) The time at which the concentration of 'R' is equal to half

from the initial concentration of 'A' at 200ºC

PROBLEM 3 (basic)

For the liquid phase reaction 2A The following data has been obtained from R

T (ºC)⋅min)
200 12.69
500 300.00

Determine the concentration of 'A' at 10 minutes after it started.

reaction if it breaks from CA0= 2mol/L at 100ºC.

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 1

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

PROBLEM 4 (basic)

The gas-phase decomposition reaction A → Products has been

studied in a batch reactor at constant volume, obtaining the
following data of the mean lifetime at different temperatures starting
of the same initial concentration in each experiment. Find the value of the
activation energy of the reaction, if the reaction is elementary.

Exp. No. 1 2 3
T (°C) 300 200 150
t1/2(s) -5 -3
3.9 x 10 3.9 x 10 8.8 x 10
-2

PROBLEM 5 (basic)

The irreversible reaction in gas phase A → R + S takes place

isothermally at 200 °C in a sealed reactor at constant volume.
The reaction kinetics is: -rA=0.0073 mol/L-h. Calculate the time in which
the conversion is 95%, if the reaction starts with the following pressures
partials: PA0= 0.5 atm y PI0= 0.5 atm.

PROBLEM 6 (basic)

The following data were reported for phase decomposition

soda and at 504 °C of pure dimethyl ether in a batch reactor at
constant volume:

(CH3)2O → CH4+ H2+ CO

t (s) 390 777 1195 3155 ∞

P (mmHg) 408 488 562 799 933

Assuming that the reaction is irreversible, determine:

a) The initial total pressure

b) The order and the rate constant

PROBLEM 7 (basic)

In a batch reactor operating at 200 °C and 1 atm of initial pressure, it

The reaction A → 2R takes place in the gas phase and at constant volume. It leads to

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 2

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

conducted an experiment by feeding 50% of reagent A and 50% of inerts,

obtaining the following data:

t (min) 5 15 30 40 50 80
P (psia) 15.53 16.72 17.93 18.37 18.81 19.65
Obtain:

The kinetic model

2. The quantity of reagent present in the system after having elapsed
1 hour after the reaction started.

3. The maximum total pressure reached in the reactor

4. The half-life

5. The activation energy of the reaction, if it has been found in the literature.
that the same reaction at 300 °C has a rate constant of
-1 -1
37.8 L mol min .

6. The temperature at which the reactor should operate to achieve 50%

conversion in 1200 s.

7. The temperature at which the reactor should operate to achieve 50%

conversion in 1200 s, if A is fed pure at 3 atm pressure.

PROBLEM 8 (basic)

Nitrous oxide decomposes according to the following reaction:

2N2The 2N2+ O2

The experimentally determined rate constant at 895 °C is: k = 977

3
cm /mol⋅In a constant volume reactor, if we start from a total pressure
initial of 1 atm.
What is the conversion at 1, 10, and 600 seconds?

PROBLEM 9 (basic)

The liquid phase reaction A → R + 2S was carried out in a batch reactor at

25°C, obtaining the following data on time and concentration of
product 'S' for CA0= 0.2 mol/L.

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 3

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

t (min) 0 10 20 30 40 50
CS(mol/L) 0 0.178 0.246 0.282 0.305 0.320

Determine the order and the reaction rate constant.

integral and differential methods.

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 4

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

PROBLEM 1 (exam type)

The thermal decomposition, in the gas phase of a compound A was carried out.
in an intermittent reactor at constant volume and at 826 ºC:

Time (min) 0 200 400 600 1000

Presión total (mmHg) 205 228 250 273 318

If pure compound feed and the reaction is: 2A → R + 3S, determine:

A) The order and the rate constant of the reaction.

B) The half-life.

C) The total pressure that will be in the reactor at the end of the reaction.

D) The reaction rate at 0, 60, 600, and 6000 minutes

E) The time in which the partial pressure of 'A' is equal to the pressure
partial of "S".

F) The time it takes to reach 10% conversion.

G) The conversion to the time of item (F) if the reaction takes place at
900º C with the same initial total pressure and knowing that the energy of
The activation of the reaction is 13 Kcal/mol.

PROBLEM 2 (exam type)

The gas phase reaction 2A → R takes place in a reactor.

discontinued at constant volume at 300 °C. If starting from a mixture that
consists of 40% mol of 'A' and 60% mol of an inert gas at 2 atm pressure and
there is a constant speed of 1.2 (mol/L)1min1300 °C
calculate:

a) The time required to reach 80% conversion at 300 °C

b) The total pressure achieved at the end of the reaction at 300 °C.

c) The half-life at 300°C

d) The time at which the concentration of 'A' is equal to the concentration

at 500 °C, if the activation energy is 10 kcal/mol

e) The time in which the partial pressure of 'A' is equal to the

corresponding to 'R' at 200 °C.

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 5

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

f) The temperature at which the reactor must operate to obtain a

50% conversion in 10 minutes, if the pure compound 'A' is fed to the
pressure of 2 atm.

PROBLEM 3 (exam type)

The reaction in the aqueous phase of reagent A can be represented by the reaction
A→R, the following experimental data was obtained at 70º C in a reactor.
intermittent.

t (min) 0 20 40 60 80 100
CA(gmol/m )
3 1000 412 306 255 222 200

Determine:

A) The order and the reaction rate constant at 70 ºC

B) The half-life at 70ºC

C) The time required to achieve 88% conversion.

D) If you want to achieve 88% conversion in one hour to what

the temperature should operate the reactor, knowing that the energy
The activation energy of the reaction is 10450 cal/gmol of A, using
the same CA0.

E) The concentration of R at 25 minutes of reaction at 70ºC

PROBLEM 4 (exam type)

For the gas-phase reaction A→R+S, the following data is available.

30 ºC

CA 66 81 108 141
3
gmol/m )
3
-rAgmol/m min) 0.0848 0.0902 0.100 0.112

A) Find the kinetic model for this reaction.

B) If the temperature increases to 45ºC, the reaction rate

increases by 75% What is the value of the activation energy?

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 6

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

C) If at 30ºC and 5 atm of pressure there is pure A in a reactor

discontinuous at constant volume, how much time (in minutes) is it
will have to CA= CR= CS ?

D) If the constant volume reactor is fed with gas that

contains 50% mol of A and 50% mol of inerts at the conditions of 5
pressure atmospheres and 50ºC temperature How long does it take
Do you get an 80% conversion from A?

PROBLEM 5 (exam type)

Compound 'A' thermally decomposes with a kinetics of

order 1.5 according to the gas phase reaction: A→2R.

In a constant volume vessel, equipped with a manometer, it was carried out

the reaction with pure 'A' concludes, reaching in a first experiment
a pressure of 80 mmHg. The entire experiment was conducted in a bath of
constant temperature at 200ºC.

In a second experiment conducted in a bath at 300ºC and pure "A", the

total pressure was 26 mmHg at 48 minutes and 30 mmHg at the end
reaction.

Calculate:
a) The reaction constant at 200ºC and 300ºC. (3 points)

b) The activation energy of the reaction. (1 point)

c) The total pressure at 10 minutes if the reactor is charged with 50% mol of
"A" and 50% mol of an inert gas at an initial total pressure of 20 mmHg and
The reaction takes place at 500ºC. (2 points)

PROBLEM 6 (exam type)

6a) The decomposition of the reactant "A" in the gas phase can be represented
for the reaction 2A → R. If this reaction takes place at 150 °C in a reactor
intermittent at constant volume, following the variation of the concentration of the
reactive 'A' over time, when fed a mixture containing 40%
moles of reagent and the rest of inert substances at a pressure of 2 atm, the results obtained are
next experimental results:

t (min) 10 50 100 150 200

CA(mol/L)0.0188 0.0109 0.0072 0.0053 0.0042

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 7

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

a) Determine the equation that describes the kinetic behavior of the

reaction.

b) At what time will an 85% conversion be reached?

temperature?

c) What will the total pressure be at the end of the reaction?

d) Determine the half-life of the reaction at 150 and 200 °C

using the same initial feed composition at 2 atm, if the
The activation energy of the reaction is 10.5 kcal/mol.

e) What temperature should the reactor operate at to obtain a

conversion of 50% in 10 min, if the pure compound 'A' is fed to the
pressure of 2 atm?

Answers:
2
-rA0.966 CAt1/2(150 °C) = 44.74 min
t1/2200 °C

The gas phase reaction A → R + S was carried out, starting from the
following partial pressures of the reactant and of inerts respectively: PA0
= 1.2 atm and PI0= 0.8 atm; obtaining a value of the kinetic constant of

k= 0.794 L·mol-1·min-1when the reaction was carried out isothermally at 350

°C in a variable volume reactor at constant pressure.
Determine the time at which an 80% conversion will be reached.
this temperature.

PROBLEM7 ??

The thermal decomposition of a compound A in the gaseous phase was studied, measuring the
increase in pressure in a reaction vessel at constant volume, at 502 ºC and a
initial pressure of 312 mmHg obtaining the following data:

Time (s) 390 777 1195 3155 ∞

Presión total (mmHg) 408 489 563 775 931

If it started from pure reactant and the reaction was: A → R + S + T,

determine
A) The speed equation.
B) The half-life.
Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 8
 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

C) The concentration of R after 10 minutes of reaction.

D) The initial speed.
E) The time in which the partial pressure of 'A' is equal to the sum of the
partial pressures of 'S' and 'T'.
F) The time required to achieve 90% conversion of the reactant.
G) The conversion of the time from item (F) if the reaction takes place at
600ºC with the same initial total pressure and knowing that the energy of
The activation of the reaction is 10.4 Kcal/mol.

PROBLEM 8

The liquid phase reaction A →R + S was studied at two temperatures.

obtaining the following experimental data:

30ºC

t (min)Amol/ ml
0 1.0
10 0.171
20 0.12
40 0.087
60 0.079
80 0.061
100 0.055

A 50 °C
t (min)Amol/ ml
0 1.0
5 0.18
10 0.127
15 0.104
20 0.09
Calculate:

A) The kinetic equation at 30ºC.

B) The values of parameter A and the activation energy of the Arrhenius equation.

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo Page 9

 NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

C) At what other temperature should the reactor operate to obtain an 85% conversion in a
hour with CA01 mol per liter.

D) If the reaction is carried out at 40 ºC for 15 minutes, feeding only the reactant 'A'.
pure with CTo1mol/liter. What is the concentration of the output products?

PROBLEM 9 (exam type)

Establish the rate equation for the following irreversible reaction:

A→B+C

The information obtained at a temperature of 87 ºC and absolute pressure of 3 is available.

Currently, for a reacting system in the gas phase, which had an initial volume of 50 ml.
If you start with a mixture of reactant A that contains 50% inerts, with no products at all.
At the beginning of the reaction, the following kinetic data is obtained:

Tiempo (h) 0.132 0.305 0.538 0.863 1.337 2.077 3.359 6.021 14.312
V (ml) 52.5 55.0 57.5 60.0 62.5 65.0 67.5 70.0 72.5

PROBLEM 10 (exam type)

Establish the kinetic equation for the following irreversible reaction A B + C

The information obtained at a temperature of 87 ºC and absolute pressure of 5 is available.

Atm. Constants for a reacting system in the gas phase, which had a volume
initial of 500 ml and starting from reactant A which contains 50% inactives, with no product at all
at the beginning of the reaction.

t (h) 0 0.05 0.115 0.203 0.326 0.505 0.785 1.269 2.275 5.407
V 500 525 550 575 600 625 650 675 700 725
(mL)

Martha Leticia Hernández Pichardo