The overall rate of a reaction is related to the rate of the rate-determining step. That is, the rate law for the rate-determining step represents the rate law for the overall reaction!
The Rate-Determining Step of a Reaction Mechanism
All of the elementary steps of a mechanism do
not occur at the same rate. Usually one step is
much slower than the others. This step is called the
rate-determining (or rate-limiting) step.
| Previous slide | Next slide | Back to first slide | View graphic version |