Final Answer:
A. The initial rate is determined by measuring the change in concentration of either reactant or product over a short time interval at the beginning of the reaction.
B. The reaction orders are determined by conducting experiments where the concentrations of one reactant are varied while keeping others constant and observing how changes affect the rate.
C. The rate constant is determined by using the rate equation derived from the rate law and substituting known values of concentrations and the initial rate obtained experimentally.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining the initial rate involves measuring the change in concentration of either reactant or product over a short time interval at the beginning of the reaction. For instance, if you monitor the decrease in concentration of A2 or B2 or the increase in concentration of AB in the first few seconds, you can calculate the initial rate by dividing this change in concentration by the time interval.
To determine reaction orders, various experiments are conducted by keeping the concentration of one reactant constant while varying the concentration of another. For instance, while keeping [B2] constant and altering [A2], if a change in [A2] causes a proportional change in the rate, the reaction order with respect to A2 is 1. This process is repeated for each reactant to establish the overall reaction order.
The rate constant is calculated using the rate equation derived from the rate law obtained by experimental data. For instance, if the rate law is found to be rate = k[A2]^m[B2]^n, where 'm' and 'n' are the reaction orders, and 'k' is the rate constant, known concentrations and the initial rate are used to solve for 'k'. Substituting these values into the rate equation allows for the determination of the rate constant.