Final answer:
The rate of the reaction will increase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of a chemical reaction is often expressed as a rate equation, which relates the rate of the reaction to the concentrations of the reactants. For the given reaction between NaCN and 1-bromohexane in DMSO, let's represent the rate equation as follows:
Rate = k(NaCN)(1-bromohexane)
Where:
k is the rate constant,
NaCN is the concentration of NaCN,
1-bromohexane is the concentration of 1-bromohexane.
The given question states that the concentration of NaCN is doubled. Let's denote the initial concentration as NaCN₀. After doubling, the new concentration becomes NaCN₀ x 2.
Now, if we substitute these concentrations into the rate equation, we get:
Rate(new) = k x (2[NaCN₀) x 1-bromohexane = 2 x Rate(old)
This indicates that the rate of the reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of NaCN. Doubling the concentration of NaCN leads to a twofold increase in the rate of the reaction. Therefore, the final answer is that the rate of the reaction will increase. This conclusion aligns with the principle that the rate of a reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of the reactants involved in the rate equation.