Question

The following mechanism is proposed for a reaction.

NO + Br₂ => NOBr₂ (slow)
NOBr₂ + NO => 2NOBr (fast)
(a) write the overall equation for the reaction. (omit states-of-matter from your answer. leave any extra answer blanks empty.)

Answer 1

The overall reaction is 2NO(g) + Br₂(g) → 2NOBr(g). The rate law is determined by the slow first step and is written as rate = k[NO][Br₂].

Step-by-step explanation:

The overall equation for the reaction based on the proposed mechanism is:

2NO(g) + Br₂(g) → 2NOBr(g)

When writing the rate law using the proposed mechanism:

• For the first slow step, rate = k₁[NO][Br₂]
• For the fast step, rate = k₂[NOBr₂][NO], but since this step is fast and the previous step slow, the concentration of NOBr₂ is determined by the slow step.

Therefore, the overall rate law reflects the slow step and is rate = k[NO][Br₂].