High School

Scientists working in Lake Kissimmee calculating half-lives of pollutants called volatile organic compounds, often measure a transport rate constant. In one study conducted in the fall of 2010, researchers from the University of West Florida found the half-life of a particular pollutant in the lake when the concentration measured 0.873 M was 97.9 days. Assuming that the process is second order, calculate the rate constant of this process. 0.00708 0.00223 0.0117 0.00446 0.0212

Answer :

Final answer:

The rate constant of this second-order process is approximately 0.00223.

Explanation:

To calculate the rate constant of a second-order process, we can use the half-life of the reaction and the initial concentration of the reactant. The half-life of a second-order reaction is inversely proportional to the initial concentration of the reactant.

In this case, the half-life of the pollutant in Lake Kissimmee was found to be 97.9 days when the concentration was 0.873 M. We can use this information to calculate the rate constant.

The half-life equation for a second-order reaction is:

t1/2 = 1 / (k * [A]2)

where t1/2 is the half-life, k is the rate constant, and [A] is the initial concentration of the reactant.

Plugging in the values:

97.9 days = 1 / (k * (0.873 M)2)

Simplifying the equation:

k = 1 / (97.9 days * (0.873 M)2)

Calculating the value:

k ≈ 0.00223

Learn more about second-order process here:

https://brainly.com/question/30556722

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