Final answer:
Average rate is over a specific time period, initial rate is at the beginning, instantaneous rate is at any specific moment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between average rate, initial rate, and instantaneous rate can be described as follows:
Average rate: Average rate is the rate of a reaction over a specific time period. It is calculated by taking the change in concentration of a reactant or product over the given time period and dividing it by the duration of that time period. For example, if you have a reaction that produces 2 moles of product over a span of 10 seconds, the average rate would be 0.2 moles per second.
Initial rate: Initial rate is the rate of reaction at the very beginning, as the product just begins to form. It represents the slope of the reaction curve at t=0. To determine the initial rate, you would measure the change in concentration of a reactant or product over a short time period that is close to t=0.
Instantaneous rate: Instantaneous rate is the rate of reaction at any specific moment in time. It is the rate of reaction at a particular point along the reaction curve. To determine the instantaneous rate, you would measure the change in concentration of a reactant or product at that specific time point.