---
title: "A student investigates the gas-phase decomposition of dinitrogen pentoxide at a constant temperature in a rigid container, as represented by the balanced equation below:  \\(2\\text{N}_2\\text{O}_5\\text{(g)} \\rightarrow 4\\text{NO}_2\\text{(g)} + \\text{O}_2\\text{(g)}\\)  At a particular instant during the reaction, the student measures the rate of concentration change for each species. Which of the following correctly ranks the absolute rates of concentration change, \\(\\left|\\dfrac{\\Delta[\\text{X}]}{\\Delta t}\\right|\\), for the three gases at this instant, from greatest to least?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119235/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:39:29+00:00"
---

# A student investigates the gas-phase decomposition of dinitrogen pentoxide at a constant temperature in a rigid container, as represented by the balanced equation below:

\(2\text{N}_2\text{O}_5\text{(g)} \rightarrow 4\text{NO}_2\text{(g)} + \text{O}_2\text{(g)}\)

At a particular instant during the reaction, the student measures the rate of concentration change for each species. Which of the following correctly ranks the absolute rates of concentration change, \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{X}]}{\Delta t}\right|\), for the three gases at this instant, from greatest to least?

A student investigates the gas-phase decomposition of dinitrogen pentoxide at a constant temperature in a rigid container, as represented by the balanced equation below:

\(2\text{N}_2\text{O}_5\text{(g)} \rightarrow 4\text{NO}_2\text{(g)} + \text{O}_2\text{(g)}\)

At a particular instant during the reaction, the student measures the rate of concentration change for each species. Which of the following correctly ranks the absolute rates of concentration change, \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{X}]}{\Delta t}\right|\), for the three gases at this instant, from greatest to least?

- **A.** \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{O}_2]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{N}_2\text{O}_5]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{NO}_2]}{\Delta t}\right|\)
- **B.** \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{NO}_2]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{O}_2]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{N}_2\text{O}_5]}{\Delta t}\right|\)
- **C.** \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{NO}_2]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{N}_2\text{O}_5]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{O}_2]}{\Delta t}\right|\)
- **D.** \(\left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{N}_2\text{O}_5]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{NO}_2]}{\Delta t}\right| > \left|\dfrac{\Delta[\text{O}_2]}{\Delta t}\right|\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119235/*