Final answer:
An example of a reaction with one intermediate is the alternative mechanism for the reaction of NO₂ with CO, where N₂O4 appears as an intermediate. Intermediates are species that appear in the mechanism of a reaction but not in the overall balanced equation.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of a reaction with one intermediate is the alternative mechanism for the reaction of NO₂ with CO, where N₂O4 appears as an intermediate. The mechanism consists of two steps:
- The initial step: NO₂ reacts with CO to form N₂O₂ as an intermediate.
- In the second step: N₂O₂ reacts with NO₂ to form N₂O₄, which is the final product.
The intermediate species N₂O₂ does not appear in the overall balanced equation but is formed in the first step and consumed in the second step. Intermediates are important in reaction mechanisms as they help explain the detailed steps involved in a reaction.