Question
Derive an integrated rate law expression for first order reaction: A → B + C

Answer

Consider first order reaction, $A \rightarrow B+C$

The differential rate law is given by
$
\text { rate }=-\frac{ d [ A ]}{ dt }= k [ A ] \cdots(1)
$
where, $[A]$ is the concentration of reactant at time $t$.

Rearranging Eq. (1)
$
\frac{ d [ A ]}{[ A ]}=- kdt \cdots(2)
$

Let $[A]_0$ be the initial concentration of the reactant $A$ at time $t=0$.

Suppose $[A]_t$ is the concentration of $A$ at time $=t$

The equation (2) is integrated between limits $[A]=[A]_0$ at $t=0$ and $[A]=[A]_t$ at $t=t$
$
\int_{[ A ]_0}^{[ A ]_{ t }} \frac{ d [ A ]}{[ A ]}=- k \int_0^{ t } dt
$

On integration,
$
[\ln [ A ]]_{[ A ]_0}^{[ A ]_{ t }}=- k ( t )_0^{ t }
$

Substitution of limits gives
$
\ln [A]_t-\ln [A]_0=-k t
$
$\operatorname{or} \ln \frac{[ A ]_{ t }}{[ A ]_0}=- kt$
or
$k =\frac{1}{ t } \ln \frac{[ A ]_0}{[ A ]_{ t }}$

Converting In to $\log _{10}$, we write
$
k =\frac{2.303}{ t } \log _{10} \frac{[ A ]_0}{[ A ]_{ t }} \cdots(4)
$
Eq. (4) gives the integrated rate law for the first order reactions.

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