first-order kinetics

First-order kinetics describes a process where the rate of change depends directly on the current amount of substance present. In simple terms, the more of the substance you have, the faster it reacts or decreases, and as its quantity diminishes, the reaction slows down proportionally. An example is radioactive decay, where half of the unstable atoms decay over a consistent time frame, regardless of how many atoms initially present. This type of behavior results in exponential decay or growth, meaning the process follows a predictable pattern based on the current amount.