Question

Onsider the following elementary steps that make up the mechanism of a certain reaction:

2X→Y+Z₂X→Y+Z
Y+2L→M+ZY+2L→M+Z
A) What is the overall reaction?

Answer 1

To determine the overall chemical reaction from a multistep reaction mechanism, elementary steps are added together and any intermediates that appear on both sides are cancelled out. In the given example, the overall reaction is 2X + 2L → M.

Step-by-step explanation:

The overall reaction in a reaction mechanism is obtained by adding all of the elementary steps of the mechanism. Each elementary step happens exactly as written, with no intermediates appearing in the final balanced equation.

Let's consider the given elementary steps for a reaction mechanism:

• 2X → Y + Z
• Y + 2L → M + Z

To find the overall reaction, we combine these steps by canceling out species that appear on both sides of the reaction arrows. Here, 'Y' and 'Z' are intermediates as they are produced in the first step and consumed in the second:

• 2X (disappears) → Y + Z (cancel Y and Z)
• Y (cancelled) + 2L (remains) → M (remains) + Z (cancelled)

After canceling, the overall reaction is:

• 2X + 2L → M