2 CO (g) + O2 (g) --> 2 CO2 (g)
The mechanism below has been proposed for this reaction;
(slow) O2 + CO --> CO2 + O
(fast) O + CO --> CO2
Based on this mechanism what is the rate law for this reaction?
R=k[CO][O}
Rate Law is determined by the slow step and any step that occurs before it. Just the sum of the slow step plus everything before it has to have the same reactants as the equation you're trying to get to. The exponents are determined by the coefficeints with them. Hope I helped. God Bless!!
To determine the rate law for a reaction based on a proposed mechanism, we need to examine the slowest step in the mechanism since it determines the overall rate of the reaction.
In this case, the slow step is the first step: O2 + CO --> CO2 + O.
The rate of the overall reaction is determined by the concentration of the reactant O2 and CO since they are involved in the slow step. The rate of the reaction is not dependent on the concentration of O since it is produced and consumed within the fast step.
Therefore, the rate law for this reaction can be written as:
Rate = k [O2] [CO]
Where k is the rate constant and [O2] and [CO] are the concentrations of O2 and CO, respectively.