Chemistry Plotting Guide: From Titrations to Kinetics
Chemistry is the study of change, and visualizing this change is central to the field. Whether tracking the speed of a reaction or the shift in pH, clear plots are essential for communicating your findings.
This guide covers the essential visualizations for chemists, focusing on kinetics, thermodynamics, and analytical chemistry.
1. Reaction Kinetics
Plotting concentration vs. time is the first step. But to determine the reaction order, you often need to transform your data.
Best Practice: Multi-Panel Comparison
Don't just show the raw data. Create a 3-panel figure showing [A] vs t, ln[A] vs t, and 1/[A] vs t. The linear plot reveals the reaction order (0th, 1st, or 2nd) instantly.
→ Try plotting Reaction Kinetics with Plotivy2. Arrhenius Plots
Determining activation energy requires an Arrhenius plot: ln(k) vs 1/T.
Axis Formatting
The X-axis is 1/Temperature (K⁻¹). This is intuitive for the math but not for the reader. Consider adding a secondary top X-axis showing the actual Temperature in Celsius for easier interpretation.
3. Titration Curves
The classic sigmoidal curve of a pH titration. The derivative plot (dpH/dV) is often more useful for identifying the equivalence point precisely.
Best Practice: Overlay Derivative
Plot the titration curve on the left Y-axis and the first derivative on the right Y-axis. The peak of the derivative aligns perfectly with the inflection point of the titration curve.
Tired of manually formatting kinetics plots? Describe your chemistry data in plain English and get publication-ready figures instantly.
Try Plotivy Free →4. Chromatography (HPLC/GC)
Chromatograms can get crowded.
Baseline Correction
Ensure you subtract the baseline before plotting if you are comparing peak areas. Plotivy can help automate baseline subtraction.
Chemical Structures
While Plotivy focuses on data plots, remember that chemical structures are "figures" too. Ensure your structure drawings (from ChemDraw or similar) match the font and line weight settings of your data plots for a consistent look in your paper.
Color in Chemistry
Atoms have standard colors (CPK coloring): Carbon is black/grey, Oxygen is red, Nitrogen is blue. Try to respect these conventions in your data plots if you are color-coding by element type.
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