1) The reaction: A + 3B = D + F was studied and the following mechanism was finally determined


A+B=C (fast)
C+B=D+E (slow)
E+B=F (very fast)

Which step has the largest activation energy?

I chose the second step because it is slow and should have the most energy.

Is this correct?

That's what I would choose

Yes, your reasoning is correct. In a reaction mechanism, the step with the highest activation energy is typically the slowest step. This is known as the rate-determining step, as it limits the overall rate of the reaction. In the given mechanism, the second step, C + B = D + E, is the slow step. Therefore, it is likely to have the largest activation energy compared to the other steps.

Yes, your reasoning is correct. The step with the slowest rate, which in this case is the second step (C + B = D + E), typically has the largest activation energy. Activation energy is the energy required for a reaction to occur. In this mechanism, the second step has the slowest rate because it has the highest activation energy barrier for the reactants (C and B) to form the products (D and E). The first and third steps are faster and have lower activation energies, meaning it requires less energy for those reactions to occur. Therefore, the second step in this mechanism is likely to have the largest activation energy.