The overall rate of a chemical reaction is determined by
a)the slowest step in the reaction mechanism.
b)the fastest step in the reaction mechanism.
c)ΔG for the overall reaction.
d)the last step in the reaction mechanism.
e)the first step in the reaction mechanism.
is it d, the last step
I believe the answer is a, the slowest step in the reaction. In a three step synthesis, suppose the first step is the slow one and the other two are fast. Most of the time will be taken up by the first step. In another case of a three step synthesis, suppose the third step is the slow one but steps 1 and 2 are very fast. Again, most of the time will be taken up by the slow step, in this case, the last (third slow) one. OK?
No, the overall rate of a chemical reaction is determined by the slowest step in the reaction mechanism. Therefore, the correct answer is a) the slowest step in the reaction mechanism.
To determine the overall rate of a chemical reaction, you need to consider the slowest step in the reaction mechanism, also known as the rate-determining step. This step limits the overall rate of the reaction because it takes the longest time to occur. The other steps may be faster, but they are not the determining factor for the overall rate.
Therefore, the correct answer is a) the slowest step in the reaction mechanism.