Rates of Ionic Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Abstract

The effect of the addition of ``inert'' salts on ionic reaction rates is discussed. For reactions between ions of the same charge sign, the effect is caused almost exclusively by the concentration and character of salt ions of charge sign opposite to that of the reactants. The rate is not dependent upon the ionic strength of the solutions. In reactions between ions of opposite charge sign, both salt ions may affect the rate, but the effect of one type may be dominant. The effects are quantitatively interpretable in terms of an ion association constant and specific rate constants for the associated and non‐associated reactants. The further introduction of activity coefficients is not necessary. The reactions upon which the Livingston Diagram is based have been explored from this viewpoint and found to be in quantitative accord.