Using your TI-83 Calculator to determine the order of a reaction

1. Clear your screens, clear your lists, and clear all Y= functions. You will also want the diagnostic turned on. To do this
go to the catalog, [2nd], [0] and the alpha lock is automatically on so you just have to hit the [D] button. This will bring
you down to the "D" list. Scroll down until you see the entry "Diagnosticon". Hit [enter] twice. The screen should say,
"Done".
2. Press [STAT] and [1], in L1 enter the data for time. You must press [enter] after typing in each value.
3. In L2 enter the data for concentration. (To delete data press [del])
4. Arrow over and up so that L3 is highlighted. Press [LN], [2nd], [2], and [enter]. L3 should now be complete with values
that are the natural log of the concentration.
5. Arrow over and up so that L4 is highlighted. Press [1], [divide], [2nd], [2], and [enter]. L4 should now contain values
that are equal to the reciprocal of the concentrations.
6. To see what this graph looks like press [2nd], [Y=]. Make sure all plots are off. If not, turn them off by pressing [4].
Now go back and once again press [2nd], [Y=], [1], [enter].
7. The [On] should be flashing, hit [enter]. Type: select the 1st choice, hit [enter]. X-list: type in L1 if necessary, hit [enter].
Y-list: type in L2 if necessary, hit [enter]. Mark: select the 1st choice, hit [enter].
8. Press [ZOOM], [9] to view the graph of TIME vs. CONC
9. Go back to [STAT], arrow over to Calc, press [4], Linreg (ax + b). Press [2nd] [1] [,] then [2nd] [2] [,] then press [vars]
arrow over to Y-VARS, then [enter], [enter], [enter]. The line of linear regression should be displayed. Copy the data,
especially the r-value. If the line is a perfect fit the r-value will be 1.0 or a -1.0 and the reaction would be classified as
zero order. However, if it is not you want to proceed and plot ln CONC vs. TIME.
10. To view the graph of TIME vs. LN CONC, press [2nd], [Y =], [enter]. You should be back in plot 1. However, you simply
want to turn this plot off. Arrow over to Off, it should be blinking. Press [enter].
11. Press [2nd], [Y =], and arrow down to 2. Press [enter] and make sure you turn this plot on.
12. Type: select the first choice, hit [enter]. X-list: type in L1 if necessary, hit [enter]. Y-list: type in L3 if necessary, hit
[enter]. Mark: select the first choice, hit [enter]. Press [ZOOM], [9] to see what the graph of LN CONC vs. TIME looks
like.
13. To find the line of linear regression, go back to [STAT], arrow over to Calc, press [4], Linreg (ax + b). Press [2nd] [1], [,]
then [2nd] [3] [,] then press [vars] arrow over to Y-VARS, then [enter], [enter], [enter]. The line of linear regression
should be displayed. Copy the data, especially the r-value. If the line is a perfect fit the absolute value of r should be
1.0. However if it is not you want to repeat the procedure one more time for 1/CONC vs. TIME.
14. To view the graph of the INVERSE of CONC vs. TIME, press [2nd], [Y =]. Turn off plots 1 and 2 and arrow down to
plot 3 and hit [enter]. Turn plot 3 on. Follow the same directions in step 11 and press [ZOOM], [9] to view the graph.
15. To find the line of linear regression, go back to [STAT], arrow over to Calc, press [4], Linreg (ax +b). Press [2nd] [1], [,],
then [2nd] [4] [,], then press [VARS] arrow over to Y-VARS, then press [enter], [enter], [enter]. Copy the data,
especially the r-value.
16. Examine all three of the r-values again. Select the graph where the r-value is closest to the absolute value of one.
If you select the first graph, CONC vs. TIME, then the reaction is ZERO Order.
If you select the second graph, Ln CONC vs. TIME, then the reaction is FIRST Order.
If you select the third graph, INVERSE CONC vs. TIME, then the reaction is SECOND Order.
Try this example:
Dinitogen pentoxide decomposes at 45 C as follows:
Concentration (mol/L)
Time (min)
2.09
3.08
1.68
8.78
1.37
14.46
0.73
31.29