Tutorials: Chemical Kinetics

Chemical equilibrium calculations alone are sometimes not sufficient to understand a chemically reactive process. This happens when we need to understand how the composition of the chemical system changes with time as a result of chemical reactions. For this, chemical kinetics is imperative.

Reaktoro can perform chemical kinetics calculations combined with chemical equilibrium (i.e., part of the chemical system evolves under kinetics, while the other is continuously in equilibrium at all times). This mode of calculation is particularly useful for simulating chemically reactive systems in which some reactions have rates that are many orders of magnitude higher than others (and thus can be assumed in instantaneous equilibrium at any time).

Geochemical systems involving aqueous species and minerals are examples in which this combined chemical kinetics and equilibrium approach is valuable.

• Dissolution of carbonate minerals in a CO₂-saturated brine
• Dissolution of calcite in an acidic HCl-solution