Question

A proposed mechanism for the gas phase reaction between nitrogen monoxide and oxygen is as follows: .....step 1.....fast:......NO O2 NO3 .....step 2.....slow:....NO3 NO 2 NO2 (1) What is the equation for the overall reaction

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

As the given reactions are as follows.

Step 1:
`NO + O_(2) \rightarrow NO_(3)` (fast)

Step 2:
`NO_(3) + NO \rightarrow 2NO_(2)` (slow)

As it is known that a reaction that occurs slowly helps in determining the rate of a reaction.

So, to find overall reaction we will add both step 1 and step 2 by cancelling out common species as follows.

Step 1 + 2 =
`NO + O_(2) + NO_(3) + NO \rightarrow 2NO_(2) + NO_(3)`

Hence, by cancelling the common species the overall reaction is as follows.

`2NO + O_(2) \rightarrow 2NO_(2)`