Consider this two-step mechanism for a reaction: Step 1: NO2(g) + Cl2(g) → ClNO2(g) + Cl(g) Slow Step 2: NO2(g) + Cl(g) → ClNO2(g) Fast c. What is the predicted rate law? a. What is the overall reaction?

Verified step by step guidance

1. <insert step 1> Identify the elementary steps in the given mechanism. Step 1: NO_2(g) + Cl_2(g) \rightarrow ClNO_2(g) + Cl(g) (Slow), Step 2: NO_2(g) + Cl(g) \rightarrow ClNO_2(g) (Fast).
2. <insert step 2> Determine the overall reaction by adding the two elementary steps. Cancel out any intermediates that appear on both sides of the reaction.
3. <insert step 3> Identify the rate-determining step, which is the slowest step in the mechanism. In this case, it is Step 1.
4. <insert step 4> Write the rate law based on the rate-determining step. The rate law is determined by the reactants involved in the slow step.
5. <insert step 5> Express the rate law using the concentrations of the reactants from the slow step: Rate = k[NO_2][Cl_2], where k is the rate constant.>

Key Concepts

Rate Law

The rate law of a reaction expresses the relationship between the rate of the reaction and the concentration of its reactants. It is typically formulated as rate = k[A]^m[B]^n, where k is the rate constant, and m and n are the orders of the reaction with respect to reactants A and B. The rate law can be determined from the slowest step in a multi-step reaction mechanism, as it dictates the overall rate of the reaction.

Reaction Mechanism

A reaction mechanism is a detailed description of the step-by-step process by which reactants are converted into products. It includes all elementary steps, intermediates, and transition states involved in the reaction. Understanding the mechanism is crucial for predicting the rate law, as the slowest step (rate-determining step) primarily influences the overall reaction rate.

Elementary Steps

Elementary steps are individual reactions that occur in a reaction mechanism, each representing a single molecular event. They can be classified as unimolecular or bimolecular based on the number of reactant molecules involved. The rate of an elementary step can be directly related to its molecularity, and the overall rate law is derived from the stoichiometry of the rate-determining step.