MCAT CHEM5 Kaplan Review | 100+ Questions | Kinetics, Rate Laws, Activation Energy, Catalysts

This expert-verified review document offers 100+ flashcard-style Q&A tailored to the Kaplan MCAT CHEM5 section on chemical kinetics, designed to reinforce key topics such as reaction rates, rate laws, reaction orders, activation energy, and catalyst effects. It’s an essential tool for MCAT prep in the Chemical and Physical Foundations section, providing logic-based breakdowns and calculation-based reasoning. Key topics covered: Spontaneity vs rate: Understanding that ΔG determines spontaneity, while activation energy (Ea) determines reaction speed Collision theory and transition state theory: Collision theory: molecules must collide with proper energy and orientation Transition theory: high-energy intermediate (activated complex) required for product formation Factors that affect reaction rate: Temperature, substrate concentration, medium, catalysts Homogeneous vs heterogeneous catalysts Rate laws and reaction orders: Zero-order: rate = k First-order: rate = k[A], exponential decay: [A]ₜ = [A]₀e^(–kt) Second-order: rate = k[A]² or k[A][B] Mixed and broken-order reactions also explained Graphical interpretation of rate orders: 0-order: [A] vs time = straight line 1st-order: ln[A] vs time = straight line 2nd-order: 1/[A] vs time = straight line Key formulas and equations: Arrhenius equation: k = Ae^(–Ea/RT) General rate law: rate = k[A]^x[B]^y Instantaneous rate = –Δ[A]/Δt or +Δ[C]/Δt based on stoichiometry Radioactive decay and exponential kinetics Problem-solving steps: Determining rate law from experimental data Identifying reaction order by analyzing how rate changes with concentration Understanding how catalysts and temperature universally increase rate This resource is ideal for: MCAT test-takers preparing for General Chemistry topics Students in Physical Chemistry, Intro to Kinetics, or Chemical Reaction Engineering Practice in data interpretation, equation manipulation, and graph-based MCAT questions Keywords: chemical kinetics, reaction rate, rate law, zero order, first order, second order, mixed order, rate determining step, activation energy, transition state, collision theory, Arrhenius equation, radioactive decay, catalyst, homogeneous catalyst, heterogeneous catalyst, reaction graphs, concentration effect, reaction mechanism, MCAT chemistry, Kaplan CHEM5