What is the rate of a first-order reaction that has a reactant concentration of 0.1M and a rate constant of 0.1/s?

Question

jfraser · Answer

what's the general formula for the rate of a first-order reaction?

anonymous · Answer

r = k[A]^x[B]^y ?

jfraser · Answer

simplify it to a single reactant

$$rate = k[A]^1$$
since you know both the rate constant k and the concentration, just plug in to solve for r

anonymous · Answer

so rate = 0.1M[0.1]^1 ?

jfraser · Answer

yes

anonymous · Answer

so 0.01 is the answer, correct?

jfraser · Answer

yes, but what UNITS does it have? If it's a rate"?

anonymous · Answer

I honestly have no clue

jfraser · Answer

the rate constant has units of $\frac{1}{s}$ and concentration has units of $\frac{mol}{L}$, so when you multiply them together, you get...
$$rate = k*[A]^1 = \frac{1}{s}*\frac{mol}{L} = \frac{mol}{L*s}$$or usually just called "mole per liter per second"