Kinetics Question

[jgalt42]

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What's the role of reverse rxns in Kinetics? Why does the slow rxn w/ an even slower reverse rxn dominate?

Thanks!

 

[nabilesmail]

Well kinetics is the rate at which reactants go to products.

Usually we do not take reverse rate into account until equilibrium is included.

Well if a reactant proceeds to the product slowly, however, the product proceeds to the reactants even slower, then the over rate would be towards the products.

I'm not sure if I answered your questions, but I hope I did!

 

[jgalt42]

Thanks

What if you had a reaction with a two step process. Step 1 was the fast one and Step 2 is the slow one. We know that the slow step always determines the rate, but would the reverse reaction of the fast step (step 1) have any affect to the overall rate?

 

[MedPR]

What's the role of reverse rxns in Kinetics? Why does the slow rxn w/ an even slower reverse rxn dominate?

Thanks!

Equilibrium will favor the less-slow step. Are you sure you are asking about kinetics and not thermodynamics?