# Problem: Dinitrogen monoxide decomposes into nitrogen and oxygen when heated. The initial rate of the reaction is 2.4 × 10−2 M/s. What is the initial rate of change of the concentration of N2O (that is, Δ[N2O]/Δt)?2 N2O(g) → 2 N2(g) + O2(g)

###### FREE Expert Solution

Recall that for a reaction aA  bB, the rate of a reaction is given by:

$\overline{){\mathbf{Rate}}{\mathbf{=}}{\mathbf{-}}\frac{\mathbf{1}}{\mathbf{a}}\frac{\mathbf{\Delta }\mathbf{\left[}\mathbf{A}\mathbf{\right]}}{\mathbf{\Delta t}}{\mathbf{=}}\frac{\mathbf{1}}{\mathbf{b}}\frac{\mathbf{\Delta }\mathbf{\left[}\mathbf{B}\mathbf{\right]}}{\mathbf{\Delta t}}}$

We can simply do a rate-to-rate comparison based on the stoichiometric coefficients.

Reaction: dinitrogen monoxide → nitrogen and oxygen

Reaction: 2 N2O(g) → 2 N2(g) + O2(g)

Given:

Since N2O is a reactant, the rate should be negative since reactants are used up/consumed

###### Problem Details

Dinitrogen monoxide decomposes into nitrogen and oxygen when heated. The initial rate of the reaction is 2.4 × 10−2 M/s. What is the initial rate of change of the concentration of N2O (that is, Δ[N2O]/Δt)?

2 N2O(g) → 2 N2(g) + O2(g)

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