Chapter 11, Problem 11.103PAE

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

To find the apparent activation energy for the reaction that causes the flies to flash.

Concept introduction:

The dependence of temperature on the chemical kinetics is given by the relation:

${\text{k=Ae}}^{-{\text{E}}_{\text{a}}\text{/RT}}$

Another form of this equation at different temperatures is:

$\text{ln}\frac{{\text{k}}_{\text{2}}}{{\text{k}}_{\text{1}}}=\frac{\text{-Ea}}{\text{R}}\text{(}\frac{\text{1}}{{\text{T}}_{\text{2}}}-\frac{\text{1}}{{\text{T}}_{\text{1}}}\text{)}$

Unit of temperature is Kelvin.

Given:

A certain batch of flies was observed to flash at two different rates at a different temperature:

Rate

Temperature

$16\text{ times per minute}\text{25°C}$

$5.5\text{ times per minute}\text{15°C}$