Question

Why are elementary reactions involving three or more reactants very uncommon?

a) They violate the conservation of mass.
b) They lead to complex reaction mechanisms.
c) They require higher activation energy.
d) They result in slower reaction rates.

Answer 1

Elementary reactions involving three or more reactants are very uncommon because they require higher activation energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

Elementary reactions involving three or more reactants are very uncommon because they require higher activation energy. In order for a reaction to occur, the reactant molecules need to collide with enough energy and in the proper orientation.

When there are more reactants involved, it becomes more difficult for all of them to collide with the necessary energy and orientation, resulting in a higher activation energy.

For example, let's consider the reaction A + B + C → Product. If all three reactants, A, B, and C, need to collide simultaneously for the reaction to occur, the chances of that happening become significantly lower compared to a reaction with only two reactants. This leads to a higher activation energy requirement for the reaction.

Therefore, option c) They require higher activation energy is the correct answer to why elementary reactions involving three or more reactants are very uncommon.