Chemical kinetics is the study of the rates of reactions and of the factors that determine the speed of a reaction. This information is used to help scientists understand reactions such as those involved in biochemical processes such as metabolism and photosynthesis; reactions that take place in the atmosphere, such as ozone formation and depletion, geochemical processes such as mineral formation and chemical changes that take place in the ocean and many other natural systems. Information from kinetics studies are also of great practical value. Industrial chemists use their knowledge of reaction rates and the factors that influence them to produce materials in a reasonable amount of time with the least loss of valuable reagents. Analytical chemists, including those who design medical diagnostic kits, use kinetics information to design detection reactions that can be carried out rapidly under moderate conditions and with a high degree of reproducibility. Besides...