Rate Constants - An Introduction

Rate Constants - An IntroductionChemistry is a branch of science which deals with properties of things. However, instead of merely describing and studying these properties of things, this branch of science seeks to derive what the properties actually are. In other words, it is used to analyze the things that we see. In this case, it is the question of rate constants, which are fundamental property of the properties of objects, whether they are external or internal or something else.Rate constants are those properties that determine the rate at which an object or system behaves. For example, the rate constant of the force between two adjacent particles in a collider can be measured very precisely, thus enabling us to determine the strength of the interaction. It is just like a logarithmic scale, which gives a comparison of magnitude of forces in a constant force scale. The one who uses the rate constant can deduce the shape of the force, its rate, its wavelength and the separation.Rat e constants are concerned with the constants of nature which govern the behavior of things. It deals with properties of the world which have remained unchanged throughout time, either in the elementary level or in the more complex level. In other words, rate constants are the common features of all the properties of objects. These constants are generalizations about the laws of nature. They represent the standard features of everything.One fundamental relationship of rate constants is the universal constant. It was determined in the late 19th century by Heaviside, who deduced it from the Doppler shift of radiation. The universal constant, or more precisely the basic law governing the rate constants, states that the momentum of an electron moving from a high velocity state to a low velocity state increases as the square of the distance travelled by the electron.There are different kinds of rate constants. These kinds are rate constants in motion, rate constants in statistical mechani cs, rate constants ingravitation, rate constants in electronic theory, and rate constants in spectroscopy. In each kind of rate constant, there is a time-dependent characteristic of the speed.The simplest rate constant, which is easy to understand, is the universal rate constant which states that the rate of change of velocity is proportional to the square of the distance travelled. In statistical mechanics, the universal rate constant is known as the mean path length. There are many more kinds of rate constants but this has been a sufficient introduction to rate constants.For further understanding of rate constants, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of chemistry. It will help us understand the nature of the rate constants, their behavior, and why they play a fundamental role in chemistry. Before studying rate constants, it is necessary to know some basic chemical concepts such as atoms, molecules, bonds, and chemical bonding. Besides knowing basic chemistry, we need to s tudy some contemporary science such as biology, physics, astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology.