Understanding First Order Reaction

A first order reaction is a type of reaction where the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of one reactant. In other words, if you double the concentration of the reactant, the rate of the reaction also doubles. The rate equation for a first order reaction can be written as:

Rate = k[A]

where k is the rate constant and [A] is the concentration of the reactant.

Example: The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a classic example of a first order reaction:

2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂