Final answer:
The rate of a reaction depends on concentration and other factors such as temperature and pressure, while the rate constant is a temperature-dependent constant that does not depend on the concentration of reactants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of a reaction and the rate constant are two different components in the study of chemical kinetics. The rate of a reaction is how fast the reactants are converted into products and this can change depending on various factors such as temperature, concentration, and pressure.
On the other hand, the rate constant, symbolized by k, is a proportionality constant in the rate law equation which relates the rate of a reaction to the concentrations of its reactants. Unlike the rate, the rate constant does not depend on the concentrations of reactants but it is temperature-dependent.
Since the rate constant is affected by temperature, as indicated by the Arrhenius equation, it changes when the temperature changes. Additionally, a change in temperature could also affect the equilibrium constant of a reaction, which is a function of the rate constants for the forward and reverse reactions.
Therefore, in relation to the provided answer choices, the correct statement distinguishing rate and rate constant is:
(b) Rate depends on concentration, while the rate constant does not.