HOW TO FIND THE ABSORPTION RATE CONSTANT

To find the absorption rate constant:

• Using a semilogarithmic plot of the concentration-time curve, apply the method of residuals to find out if absorption is a first order process.
  (If absorption is a first order process, the residuals graph will be a straight line.)
• If absorption is a first order process, use the residuals graph to find the absorption half-life (t1/2(a)).
• Once you have the absorption half-life, use the equation below to calculate the absorption rate constant.
  

The next two pages go through the method.