Final answer:
The rate of reaction in a chemical equation is determined by the change in concentration of the reactants or products. In this specific reaction, for every 1 mole of reactant A or B consumed, 1/3 mole of product C is produced. The convention to divide instead of multiply by 3 is based on the stoichiometry of the reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of reaction in a chemical equation is given by the change in concentration of the reactants or products over a period of time. In the equation A + B ⟶ 3C, the rate of reaction can be expressed as R = −Δ[A]/Δt = −Δ[B]/Δt = 1/3 Δ[C]/Δt. This means that for every 1 mole of A or B consumed, 1/3 mole of C is produced. The convention to divide instead of multiply by 3 is based on the stoichiometry of the reaction, where the coefficients of A and B in the balanced equation are 1, and the coefficient of C is 3.