The concept of derivatives is used primarily in finding the slope of a line tangent to a certain

function. However, aside from mathematics, it can also be used in other fields, such as biology, physics,
business, and even chemistry.

Chemistry as we know it also utilizes graphs to depict different reactions, such as the formation of
a new compound or the decay of an element. Graphs are also used to show the concentration of a certain
substance in a solution. In this certain application, the graph depicts the rate of the reaction, or the speed at
which the reactants (the initial substances) are converted into products (the new substances). As said in the
introduction, the reaction rate may be affected by different factors such as heat or the presence of a catalyst.
With these varying factors, the graphs tend to look different - some more steep and narrow, which indicates
a high energy, short-lived reaction, or some that is wide and has a gentle slope, which represent a low
energy, relatively slow reaction. Derivatives can be applied to this concept since derivatives are the slope
of a line tangent to a graph. By finding the slope of the graph at a certain point, we can determine if the
reaction is either fast or slow and if it requires high energy or low energy levels.

Taking for example the graph below:

The slopes at each of the colored dots would be different, and these difference in slopes can denote what is
happening in the reaction. By finding the derivative of the graph at, for example, the black dot, we can
obtain a value that would represent the speed and energy requirement of the reaction – a higher value
denotes a high energy, fast reaction while a smaller value denotes a low energy, slow reaction. At the red
dot, where the reaction is at its maximum, a derivative of zero may be computed, which denotes that the
reaction rate also reaches zero and thus starts to drop beyond the point. Finally, at the green dot, where the
graph has a negative slope, the reaction denotes decreasing reactivity. In summary, depending on the slope
or derivative of a graph at a certain point, the reaction can be classified into whether it requires high or low
energy and what is currently happening in the reaction at that certain point.

The formula for calculating the reaction rate given a specific time period or time interval is as
follows:

[𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡2 ]−[𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑡1 ]
Rate = − 𝑡2 −𝑡1

where the values enclosed in the brackets show the concentration of the reactants, and 𝑡2 and 𝑡1 represent
a given time interval. This formula changes according to the different factors that affect the rate, such as
temperature, concentration, and the presence of a catalyst. The formula for the reaction rate that is
dependent on temperature is given by the Arrhenius equation:
 −𝐸𝑎
𝑘 = 𝐴𝑒 𝑅𝑇

where 𝑘 = rate constant, 𝐴 = frequency factor, 𝐸𝑎 = activation energy, 𝑅 = gas constant, and 𝑇 =
temperature in Kelvin.

The effect of a catalyst in a chemical reaction is shown below:

It can be seen in the graph that the slopes of the different graphs differ. The slope of the catalyzed
reaction is smaller than the slope of the uncatalyzed reaction. With this, it can be inferred that a catalyzed
reaction requires less energy than an uncatalyzed reaction.

The application of derivatives in chemistry, specifically in reaction rates, gives an insight and is
used to determine the energy levels involved in a reaction as well as its speed. Moreover, its value, whether
positive, negative, or zero, allows one to know where the reaction is at a specific time period – whether the
rate is increasing, constant, or decreasing.