Question

In the context of a chemical reaction, which of the following statements is correct regarding the rate law with respect to the forward and backward/reverse reactions?

A) The rate law for the forward reaction is always the same as the rate law for the backward/reverse reaction.
B) The rate law for the forward reaction may be different from the rate law for the backward/reverse reaction.
C) The rate law for the forward reaction depends on the concentration of products, while the rate law for the backward/reverse reaction depends on the concentration of reactants.
D) The rate law for the forward reaction is only applicable in the absence of the backward/reverse reaction.

Answer 1

The correct statement about rate laws for chemical reactions is that the rate law for the forward reaction may differ from the rate law for the backward/reverse reaction, reflecting the different dependencies on reactant and product concentrations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of a chemical reaction, the correct statement regarding the rate law for forward and backward/reverse reactions is that the rate law for the forward reaction may be different from the rate law for the backward/reverse reaction. This is because the rate of a chemical reaction is affected by the concentrations of reactants and products. For an elementary reaction, the rate laws can be directly derived from the stoichiometry of the reaction equation, taking into account both reactants and products.

The rate of formation of products in a reversible chemical reaction can be expressed by the equation: Rate of formation of products (C & D) = k₁ [A][B] – k₁₁ [C] [D]. Here, k₁ is the rate constant for the forward reaction and k₁₁ is the rate constant for the reverse reaction. It is important to note that most chemical reactions are reversible to some extent, and the rates of the forward and reverse reactions can ultimately become equal when the system reaches chemical equilibrium.