Enter temperatures to estimate how the rate changes. Default Q10 is 2.0.
Typically 2.0 for biological/chemical systems (rate doubles every 10°C).
Calculation Results
Base Reaction Rate:–
Temperature Difference (ΔT):–
Reaction Speed Factor:–
Predicted Rate at °C:–
Time required at °C:–
How to Calculate Rate of Reaction with Temperature and Time
Understanding chemical kinetics is essential for chemists, chemical engineers, and biology students. The rate of reaction defines how quickly reactants are converted into products. This calculator helps you compute the mean reaction rate and estimates how changes in temperature affect that speed.
1. The Basic Reaction Rate Formula
The average rate of a reaction is calculated by measuring the change in the amount of a reactant or product over a specific time interval. The general formula is:
Rate = Δ Quantity / Δ Time
Where:
Δ Quantity: The change in concentration (Molarity), mass (grams), moles, or volume. If measuring a reactant, this value decreases; if measuring a product, it increases.
Δ Time: The time duration over which the change occurred (seconds, minutes, or hours).
2. Effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate
Temperature has a profound impact on reaction rates. According to Collision Theory, higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy of particles, leading to more frequent and energetic collisions. This relationship is often quantified using the Arrhenius equation or the Q10 temperature coefficient.
The Q10 Coefficient Rule
A common rule of thumb in chemistry and biology is that the rate of reaction roughly doubles for every 10°C rise in temperature. This is represented by a Q10 value of 2.0.
Rate₂ = Rate₁ × Q10^((T₂ – T₁) / 10)
Where:
Rate₁: The initial reaction rate.
Rate₂: The new reaction rate at the final temperature.
T₁ & T₂: The initial and final temperatures in degrees Celsius.
Q10: The factor by which the rate increases for every 10-degree rise (usually between 2 and 3).
Example Calculation
Suppose a chemical reaction consumes 0.5 M of reactant in 25 seconds at 20°C.
Base Rate: 0.5 M / 25 s = 0.02 M/s.
Temperature Effect: If we heat the system to 30°C (a 10°C increase) with a Q10 of 2, the rate doubles.
New Rate: 0.02 M/s × 2 = 0.04 M/s.
function calculateReactionRate() {
// 1. Get DOM elements
var chemChangeEl = document.getElementById('chemChange');
var timeDurationEl = document.getElementById('timeDuration');
var unitTypeEl = document.getElementById('unitType');
var timeUnitEl = document.getElementById('timeUnit');
var tempInitialEl = document.getElementById('tempInitial');
var tempFinalEl = document.getElementById('tempFinal');
var q10ValueEl = document.getElementById('q10Value');
var resultArea = document.getElementById('results-area');
var resBaseRate = document.getElementById('resBaseRate');
var tempResults = document.getElementById('temp-results');
// 2. Parse Base Inputs
var quantity = parseFloat(chemChangeEl.value);
var timeVal = parseFloat(timeDurationEl.value);
var timeMultiplier = parseFloat(timeUnitEl.value);
var unitLabel = unitTypeEl.value;
// 3. Validation for Base Rate
if (isNaN(quantity) || isNaN(timeVal) || timeVal Time = Qty / Rate
// Since Qty is constant, NewTime = OldTime / Factor
var newTime = timeVal / speedFactor;
// Update DOM
document.getElementById('resTempDiff').innerHTML = deltaT + " °C";
document.getElementById('resFactor').innerHTML = speedFactor.toFixed(2) + "x";
// Update Labels
document.getElementById('resFinalTempLabel').innerText = t2;
document.getElementById('resFinalTempLabel2').innerText = t2;
document.getElementById('resNewRate').innerHTML = newRate.toFixed(4) + " " + unitLabel + "/" + timeLabel;
document.getElementById('resNewTime').innerHTML = newTime.toFixed(2) + " " + timeLabel;
} else {
tempResults.style.display = "none";
}
}