Final answer:
Doubling the concentration of the solvent in a chemical reaction will affect the reaction rate, which will either double or quadruple depending on whether the reaction is first-order or second-order, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering what would happen to the reaction rate if the concentration of the solvent is doubled, it's essential to understand the nature of the chemical rate law. In a first-order reaction, this doubling would lead to a doubling of the reaction rate, as indicated when comparing experiments and observing the behavior with substances like CH3CH2Cl where rate = k[CH3CH2Cl]. For a second-order reaction, such as 2NO + H2 → N2O + H2O, the effect is more significant. Doubling the concentration of one reactant, while holding the other constant, will result in quadrupling the reaction rate because rate is proportional to the concentration squared, or k[reactant]^2.