Lesson 12 - Reaction Mechanisms and Rate Determining Step

Question 1

Reaction Mechanism

Answer 1

Series of detailed steps that occur during the process of converting reactants into products in a chemical reaction

Question 2

Reactions can be made up of multiple ele…

Answer 2

Elementary steps/processes/reactions each of which has its own activated complex and predictable rate law

Question 3

Complex reaction

Answer 3

A reaction with multiple elementary steps

Question 4

Simple reaction

Answer 4

A reaction with only one elementary steps

Question 5

Femtochemistry

Answer 5

Using laser pulses that are femtoseconds apart to identify chemical species that exist only mementarily

Question 6

Reaction Intermediate

Answer 6

A substance produced by an earlier elementary step and then consumed in a later elementary step. Thus it NEVER appears in the overall reaction

Question 7

Molecularity

Answer 7

Molecularity of an elementary reaction refers to the number of particles that are reacting in a reaction.

Question 8

Types of molecularity

Answer 8

Unimolecular where there is one reactant, Bimolecular where there is two reactants, Termolecular where there are three reactants.

Question 9

Rate-determining step

Answer 9

The reaction rate of a reaction with multiple elementary steps is determined by the slowest elementary step, called the rate-determining step.
Will always have the highest Ea

Question 10

Chain reaction

Answer 10

Reaction mechanisms that involve the continuous regeneration and consumption of a reaction inermediate

Question 11

Chain initiation step

Answer 11

The first step in a chain reaction

Question 12

Chain Propagation step

Answer 12

The intermediate steps in a chain reaction

Question 13

Chain termination step

Answer 13

Final steps in a chain reaction, where the intermediate products are consumed, and not regenerated so that the reaction cannot continue.

Question 14

When do chain termination step occur>