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Q.How does average rate of reaction differ from instantaneous reaction rate ?

Jammu Kashmir JkboseJKBOSE Class 12 Annual Regular Examination 2024Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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Average rate is measured over a finite time span; instantaneous rate is the rate at a single instant, found from the slope of the tangent to the concentration–time curve.

Average rate of reaction is defined as the change in concentration of a reactant or product divided by the time interval over which that change occurs:

Average rate = −Δ[R]/Δt = Δ[P]/Δt

It is calculated between two fixed points in time (e.g. between t₁ and t₂), and it changes depending on which time interval is chosen — a shorter interval gives a value closer to the 'true' rate at that moment, while a long interval only gives a rough overall average.

Instantaneous rate of reaction is the rate of the reaction at one particular moment of time. It is obtained mathematically as the limit of the average rate as the time interval Δt approaches zero:

Instantaneous rate = −d[R]/dt = d[P]/dt …

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