Reactivity



Reactivity refers to the compounds, reactivity is regulated by the physical properties of the sample. For instance, grinding a sample to a higher specific surface area increases its reactivity. In impure compounds, the reactivity is also effected by the inclusion of contaminants. In crystalline compounds, the crystalline form can also affect reactivity. However in all cases, reactivity is primarily due to the sub-atomic properties of the compound.

Causes of reactivity

In general, any time a chemical reaction occurs it is due to the chemical being able to enter a more stable[better] state. Electrons exist in orbitals that are the result of solving the Schrödinger equation for specific situations.

All things (values of the n and ml quantum numbers) being equal, the order of stability of electrons in a system from least to greatest is unpaired with no other electrons in similar orbitals, unpaired with all degenerate orbitals half filled and the most stable is a filled set of orbitals. In order to achieve one of these orders of stability, an atom will react with another atom, thereby stabilizing both atoms. For example, a lone kilojoules per mole) when reacting to form H2.

It is for this same reason that hybridization.

Chemical kinetics and reactivity

The rate of any given reaction,

Reactants → Products

is governed by the rate law:

Rate = k * [A]

where the rate is the change in the molar concentration in one second in the rate-determining step of the reaction (the slowest step), [A] is the product of the molar concentration of all the reactants raised to the correct order, known as the reaction order, and k is the reaction constant, which is constant for one given set of circumstances (generally temperature and pressure) and independent of concentration. The greater the reactivity of a compound the higher the value of k and the higher the rate. For instance, if,

A+B → C+D

Then:

Rate = k * [A]n * [B]m

where n is the reaction order of A, m is the reaction order of B, n+m is the reaction order of the full reaction, and k is the reaction constant.

See also
 
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