Final answer:
The reaction rate typically depends on the concentrations of reactants, but the rate constant does not. Reaction order is determined by the rate law, not always by stoichiometric coefficients. Zeroth-order reactions have rates that are independent of reactant concentration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of a chemical reaction depends significantly on the concentrations of the reactants involved. The reaction rate is often described by a rate law, where the rate can be influenced by the concentration of the reactants, but not by the concentration of the products. While the rate itself changes with reactant concentrations, the rate constant is independent of the concentrations of the reactants. It is important to note that the rate law and the balanced chemical equation are not always directly correlated. For example, a reaction with coefficients of '2' for certain reactants in the equation does not automatically mean that the reaction is second-order with respect to those reactants. Additionally, zeroth-order reactions are unique as their rates are independent of reactant concentration altogether, often due to factors such as surface area being the limiting factor.