Final answer:
To write the equations relating reactant consumption and product formation rates, identify the reactants and products, write the balanced equation, and use the stoichiometric coefficients to express the rates, with reactant consumption being negative and product formation being positive.
Step-by-step explanation:
To write the equations that relate the rates of consumption of the reactants and the rates of formation of the products, you need to follow a systematic approach:
- Identify the reactants and the products in the reaction and write their chemical formulas.
- Write the balanced chemical equation by putting the reactants on the left side of the arrow and the products on the right.
- Relate the stoichiometry of the reaction to the rates by using the coefficients from the balanced equation.
- Express the rate of reaction in terms of the consumption of reactants or the formation of products, taking into account the stoichiometric coefficients. If a reactant is being consumed, the rate will be negative, and if a product is being formed, the rate will be positive.
For example, if you have a balanced equation aA + bB → cC + dD, the rate of consumption of A (rate of A) would be -1/a times the rate of the reaction, and the rate of formation of C (rate of C) would be 1/c times the rate of the reaction.