General approach to linear systems of reactions

In particular Example 2.16 depends on the starting concentration being higher or smaller than a and which influences and jc . In this table just one condition is summarised. Details are given in Appendix 6.4.2. Assuming that the initial concentration of D is smaller than that of A as well as of B, an equilibrium is obtained between the remaining amounts of reactants A, B, and C according to 

This equation is the typical form of the law of conservation of mass. According to thermodynamics, eq. (2.28) is only valid in ideal or ideal diluted systems. The consequence is, that any fundamental assumptions in kinetics (especially eq. (2.15)) will only be valid in ideal systems. 

In Sections 2.1.1.1, 2.1.3.1, and 2.1.3.3 simple relationships for sequences of elementary steps of reactions have been introduced and discussed. A generalised system has been given by eq. (2.15) and has been demonstrated using Examples 2.4-2.10. This approach can be used to consider linear reactions in general. It is of principal interest, since it can also be used in the treatment of quasi linear photoreactions [10,14-16]. 

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Thermal reactions, which take place in closed systems, do not show complex eigenvalues. In contrast, in the case of quasilinear photoreactions, such solutions cannot be excluded in principle. Complex eigenvalues always appear in pairs. In the following, a general approach to solve this problem is given for two linear independent steps of reaction (j = 2). The two eigenvalues are... 

The advantage of this transformation appears in the case of the general approaches. It allows quasi-linear systems of photoreactions to be treated in the same way as systems of linear thermal reactions. One understands quasi-linear photoreactions as reactions in which the quantum yield is constant and no dark reactions are superimposed. In consequence all the relationships derived in Section 2.2 can be applied to these types of reactions. 

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