How do I graph second order reaction kinetics? Where do I input commands such as the reaction and its parameters?

I am in need of help! I don't know how to graph a second order reaction with respect to time. It is an irreversible reaction but I don't know where to input the equation and concentrations and reaction rates in MATLAB to see the amount of change in concentration over time. If you could lead me through it, that would be much appeciated! Thank you!

[Star Strider]

What is the equation for the kinetics of the reaction?

[Peter Yoon]

W + C -> H

Answer 1

[Star Strider]

I never thought about reacting tungsten and carbon to get hydrogen!

The rate equation can be expressed in terms of one of the reactants, for example:

-dWdt = k*[W]*[C]

You have to know k, and the time-varying concentrations of [W] and [C] to plot them. The rate would be the instantaneous slope of that curve at any point. This is a relatively simple analytic integration (the integrated equation is given in the Wikipedia article), and you can also integrate it numerically if you so choose. You would then plot [W] as a function of time. See the documentation on plot for the details. Plotting the rate over time for this equation would yield a straight line.

Since I have no other information, I’ll stop here. If this explanation differs from what you’ve been instructed to do, provide details.