The Progression of Sequential Reactions

• Main Author: Jack McGeachy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of South Florida 2010-01-01
• Series: Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two
• Subjects: Sequential Reactions, Chemical Concentration, Process Optimization
• Online Access: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/ujmm/vol2/iss2/5

Sequential reactions consist of linked reactions in which the product of the first reaction becomes the substrate of a second reaction. Sequential reactions occur in industrially important processes, such as the chlorination of methane. A generalized series of three sequential reactions was analyzed in order to determine the times at which each chemical species reaches its maximum. To determine the concentration of each species as a function of time, the differential rate laws for each species were solved. The solution of each gave the concentration curve of the chemical species. The concentration curves of species A₁ and A₂ possessed discreet maxima, which were determined through slope-analysis. The concentration curve of the final product, A₃, did not possess a discreet maximum, but rather approached a finite limit.