Question:
(a) The reaction between
hydrogen, H2(g), and nitrogen monoxide, NO(g), has the following
rate equation,
rate = k[H2(g)][NO(g)]2,
The overall equation for the reaction is, 2H2(g)
+ 2NO(g) → N2(g) + 2H2O(l), and the reaction takes place
by a two step mechanism.
(i)
What is the meaning of reaction mechanism?
(ii)
Explain what a rate determining step is.
(iii)
Giving your reasoning, write two equations that
could describe the two mechanistic steps for the above reaction. It is
important to identify the rate determining step.
Answers:
(i)
A reaction mechanism is the step by step
sequence of elementary reactions through which the overall chemical reaction
occurs.
(ii)
A rate determining step is the slowest step of
complex reaction, and this step determines the overall reaction rate.
(iii)
Based on the rate equation we can conclude that
rate determining step is
H2(g)
+ 2NO(g) → …
We also know that sum of the two
mechanistic steps gives the overall equation.
For the step one product to be
canceled when summarizing the two steps it should be a reactant of the second
step. In consideration of all these we can write two equations that could
describe the two mechanistic steps for the overall reaction:
1
step:
H2(g) + 2NO(g) → 2HNO(g)
← rate
determining step
2
step:
2HNO(g) + H2(g) → N2(g) + 2H2O(l)
_________________________________________________________________________
Overall: 2H2(g) + 2NO(g)
→ N2(g) + 2H2O(l)
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