Relating to Reaction-Rate Theories

As a model of real behavior, the role of a theory is twofold (1) to account for observed phenomena in relatively simple terms (hindsight), and (2) to predict hitherto unobserved phenomena (foresight). 

What do we wish to account for and predict Consider the form of the rate law used for the model reaction A +. ..- products (from equations 3.1-8 and 4.1-3)  

We wish to account for (i.e., interpret) the Arrhenius parameters A and EA, and the form of the concentration dependence as a product of the factors c (the order of reaction). We would also like to predict values of the various parameters, from as simple and general a basis as possible, without having to measure them for every case. The first of these two tasks is the easier one. The second is still not achieved despite more than a century of study of reaction kinetics the difficulty lies in quantum mechanical 

In many cases, reaction rates cannot be adequately represented by equation 6.1-1, but are more complex functions of temperature and composition. Theories of reaction kinetics should also explain the underlying basis for this phenomenon. 

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