The Rate Determining Step

Question 1

What is the rate determining step?

Answer 1

A reaction can have one or a series of steps, in a series of steps each step can have a different rate. The overall rate is decided by the step with the slowest rate - this is the rate determining step

Question 2

How can reactants in the rate equation affect the rate

Answer 2

If a reactant appears in the rate equation, it must affect the rate. So this reactant, or something derived from it, must be in the rate determining step. If a reactant doesn’t appear in the rate equation, then it won’t be involved in the rate determining step, and neither will anything derived from it

Question 3

How does the order of reaction provide information about the rate determining step?

Answer 3

The order of reaction with respect to a reactant shows the number molecules of that reactant that are involved in the rate determining step