Autocatalysis

Autocatalysis - Quiz

1. What defines a chemical reaction as autocatalytic?

A) One of the reaction products acts as a catalyst for the same reaction.
B) The reaction rate remains constant over time.
C) The reaction involves only solid state reactants.
D) The reaction requires an external catalyst to begin.

2. What is meant by a 'collectively autocatalytic' set of reactions?

A) A set where reaction products provide catalysts for other reactions in the set, making it self-sustaining.
B) A set of reactions that all use the same external catalyst.
C) A set of reactions where every product is a reactant for the next step.
D) A set of reactions that only occur at extremely high temperatures.

3. Who introduced the concept of autocatalysis in 1890?

A) Wilhelm Ostwald
B) Lotka and Volterra
C) Zhabotinsky
D) Brusselator

4. What is the characteristic shape of the rate vs. time plot for autoxidation?

A) Logarithmic
B) Exponential decay
C) Sigmoidal
D) Linear

5. Which of the following is cited as an oscillating reaction involving autocatalysis?

A) Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of esters
B) Acetophenone bromination
C) Electroless plating
D) Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction

6. Why does the growth rate of a crystal often show autocatalysis?

A) The growth rate depends on the surface area of the growing crystal.
B) Crystals dissolve into catalysts.
C) The crystal structure acts as a reactant.
D) Crystals create their own heat of reaction.

7. In the simple autocatalytic reaction A + B ⇌ 2B, what is the role of the product B?

A) It acts as an inhibitor to slow down the reaction.
B) It acts as a source of energy for the reaction.
C) It acts as a catalyst for the conversion of A to B.
D) It acts as a reactant that gets consumed completely.

8. Why are the rate equations for simple autocatalysis nonlinear?

A) The rate depends on the square of the concentration of B.
B) The reaction occurs in multiple phases.
C) The rate constant k varies with time.
D) The concentration of A remains constant.

9. What is a potential consequence of having multiple fixed points in a system?

A) The reaction never reaches equilibrium.
B) The system can exist in multiple macroscopic states.
C) The entropy of the system increases indefinitely.
D) The reaction rate becomes infinite.

10. What is the typical induction period in an autocatalytic reaction?

A) A period where no reactants are consumed.
B) The phase where the reaction reaches final equilibrium.
C) A slow initial phase due to low catalyst concentration.
D) A phase where the reaction rate is at its maximum.

11. What happens if a catalyzed mechanism has no catalyst present initially?

A) The reaction must start by a slower, alternate uncatalyzed path.
B) The reaction will spontaneously generate a catalyst.
C) The reaction will proceed at a maximum rate immediately.
D) The reaction will not proceed at all.

12. In the context of electroless plating, what does 'nucleation' refer to?

A) The formation of the initial chemical bond.
B) The cooling phase of the plating process.
C) The removal of surface impurities.
D) The point where the plating rate accelerates after some initial deposition.

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