5.5.4 - The Rate Determining Step (RDS): The Bottleneck of the Reaction
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Practice Questions
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What is the rate-determining step in a reaction mechanism?
💡 Hint: Think about which step controls how fast the overall reaction happens.
True or False: Intermediates appear in the overall rate expression.
💡 Hint: Recall that intermediates don't show up in the rate law.
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Interactive Quizzes
Quick quizzes to reinforce your learning
What defines the rate-determining step in a multi-step reaction?
💡 Hint: Think about which step would create the biggest delay.
True or False: All steps in a reaction contribute equally to the overall reaction rate.
💡 Hint: Consider which step might control the timing.
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Challenge Problems
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Describe the implications of the rate-determining step in industrial chemical processes. How would you optimize a reaction based on this understanding?
💡 Hint: Consider how improving flow could enhance production!
Given a reaction A + 2B → C with an unknown rate law, if increasing [A] doubles the rate, while increasing [B] quadruples it, identify the order of the reaction concerning A and B.
💡 Hint: Think about how each change in concentration relates to the observed rate change.
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