Here’s a explanation of the difference between average rate and instantaneous rate of a chemical reaction:
1. Average Rate:
- It is the change in concentration of a reactant or product over a certain time interval.
- Gives a general idea of how fast the reaction is during that period.
- Example: If 2 moles of a gas form in 4 seconds, the average rate = 0.5 moles per second.
2. Instantaneous Rate:
- It is the rate of reaction at a specific moment in time.
- Shows how fast the reaction is exactly at that instant, not over a period.
- Can be found from the slope of the tangent on a concentration vs. time graph.
Simple idea:
- Average rate = “overall speed” of reaction during a time period.
- Instantaneous rate = “speed at this exact moment”.