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Module 5
Rates of reaction
Rate determining step
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Robyn Phillips
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Rate
-determining step
The
slowest
step in a
multi-step
reaction sequence
Multi
-step reactions
Reactions that take place
in a
series of steps rather than a single step
An overall chemical equation compares the
reactants
and
products
Stoichiometry
The relative amounts of the species in a reaction, given by the
balancing
numbers
A reaction can only take place when particles
collide
For a single-step reaction,
multiple
particles would have to
collide
simultaneously, which is extremely unlikely
Reaction
mechanism
The series of steps that make up an overall
reaction
The
slowest
step in a multi-step reaction sequence is called the
rate-determining
step
Predicting
reaction mechanisms
Chemists
use their knowledge and understanding of
chemical principles
Propose possible mechanisms for
reactions
Evaluate whether a
proposed mechanism
is
likely to be correct
Rate
equation
Only includes
reacting
species involved in the
rate-determining
step
The orders in the
rate
equation match the number of species involved in the
rate-determining
step
The rate-determining step provides important evidence in supporting or rejecting a proposed
reaction mechanism
Hydrolysis
of haloalkanes
RX + OH- ->
ROH
+
X-
Can be investigated experimentally to determine the overall order of
reaction
, the rate equation, and a possible
mechanism