A first-order chemical reaction is observed to have a rate constant of 24 min^-1.What is the corresponding half-life for the reaction?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The half-life of a first-order reaction is given by $t_{1/2} = \frac{0.693}{k}$, where $k$ is the rate constant. Given $k = 24 \, \text{min}^{-1}$, the half-life is $t_{1/2} = \frac{0.693}{24} = 0.028875 \, \text{min}$, which is approximately 1.7 seconds when converted (since 1 minute = 60 seconds).

A First-Order Chemical Reaction Is Observed to Have a Rate