The Rate-Determining Step of a Reaction Mechanism

All the elementary steps in a mechanism do not have the same rate. Usually, one step is much slower than the others, so it limits how fast the overall reaction proceeds. This step is called the rate-determining step (or rate-limiting step). [Pg.525]

Because the rate-determining step limits the rate of the overall reaction, its rate law represents the rate law for the overall reaction. Consider the reaction between nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide [Pg.525]

If the overall reaction were an elementary reaction—that is, if the mechanism consisted of only one step—we could immediately write the overall rate law as [Pg.525]

However, as you saw in Sample Problem 16.3, experiment shows that the actual [Pg.525]

From this, we know immediately that the reaction shown cannot be elementary. [Pg.525]

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