Question

Suppose the formation of nitrogen dioxide proceeds by the following mechanism

step elementary reaction rate constant
1 2NO(g) → N2O2(g) k1
2 NO2 (g) + O2 (g) → 2NO2 (g) k2

Suppose also k1<
Write the balanced chemical equation for the overall chemical reaction:
Write the experimentally- observable rate law for the overall chemical reaction rate:

Answer 1

Answer:

Overall reaction equation:

2NO (g) + O2(g) ---------> 2NO2(g)

Overall rate= k1 [NO]^2

Explanation:

Overall reaction equation:

2NO (g) + O2(g) ---------> 2NO2(g)

The overall reaction equation is obtained by adding the two equations. This now gives the actual overall equations when intermediates must have been cancelled out.

Since k1<<k2 which me as that the first step is much slower than the second step, then the first step is the rate determining step, being the slowest step in the non elementary reaction sequence.

Therefore overall rate;

Overall rate= k1 [NO]^2