Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) undergoes thermal decomposition as follows:
CH3(CO)OONO2 → CH3(CO)OO + NO2
The rate constant is 3.0 × 10-4 s-1 at 25°C. At the boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere, where the temperature is about -40°C, the rate constant is reduced to 2.6 × 10-7 s-1.
(a) Calculate the activation energy for the decomposition of PAN.
(b) What is the half-life of the reaction (in minutes) at 25°C?