Chemical Kinetics: Fundamentals and Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of chemical kinetics, including the difference between rates and rate constants, determination of reaction orders, calculation of half-lives, and prediction of contaminant concentrations. Environmental engineering applications are discussed, emphasizing the importance of kinetics in determining contaminant speciation, mobility, and bioavailability. Various reaction kinetics models are explored, such as zero-, first-, and second-order kinetics, as well as pseudo-first-order reactions. The lecture also delves into reaction stoichiometry, elementary reactions, and the impact of factors like concentration, temperature, and catalysts on reaction rates.