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by sana.noor » Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:20 am
The rate of a certain chemical reaction is directly proportional to the square of the concentration of chemical A present and inversely proportional to the concentration of chemical B present. If the concentration of chemical B is increased by 100 percent, which of the following is closest to the precent change in the concentration of chemical A required to keep the reaction rate unchanged?
A) 100% decrease
B) 50% decrease
C) 40% decrease
D) 40% increase
E) 50% increase

OA is D
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by mkdureja » Thu Jun 06, 2013 7:38 am
Rate of reaction(R) is directly proportional to square of the concentration of chemical A present (A)
means, R = pA² (p is some constant)
and inversely proportional to concentration of chemical B (B) means, R = q/B
Combining, R = x * A² / B
Concentration of B is doubled, so B becomes 2B.
Assume that A becomes yA:
xA²/B = x(yA)²/(2B)
So, y² = 2
or, y = 1.414
A become 1.414A, that is 41.4% increase. So, D.

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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:56 am
sana.noor wrote:The rate of a certain chemical reaction is directly proportional to the square of the concentration of chemical A present and inversely proportional to the concentration of chemical B present. If the concentration of chemical B is increased by 100 percent, which of the following is closest to the precent change in the concentration of chemical A required to keep the reaction rate unchanged?
A) 100% decrease
B) 50% decrease
C) 40% decrease
D) 40% increase
E) 50% increase

OA is D
x is directly proportional to y, translated into math:
x = ky, where k is a constant.
x is inversely proportional to z, translated into math:
x = k/z, where is k is a constant.
x is directly proportional to y and inversely proportional to z, translated into math:
x = k(y/z), where k is a constant.

In the problem above, the rate is directly proportional to the square of A and inversely proportional to B.
Thus:
R = k(A²/B).

Original values:
Let:
R = 100
A = 10
B = 1.
Solving for k, we get:
100 = k(10²/1)
100 = k(100)
k = 1.

New values:
Since the rate doesn't change, R = 100.
B increased by 100% = 2.
k = 1. (Since k is a constant.)
Solving for A, we get:
100 = (1)(A²/2)
A² = 200
A = √200 = √100 * √2 = 10√2 ≈ 10(1.4) = 14.

Percent increase in A:
(increase in A)/(original A) = (14-10)/10 = 4/10 = 40%.

The correct answer is D.
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by George7 » Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:30 am
"x is directly proportional to y and inversely proportional to z, translated into math:
x = k(y/z), where k is a constant. "

How do we derive this?

Thanks