Slow step

[605823283]

Why do we use the slow step in mechanisms?

[grace salvestrin 1J]

We use the slow step because that is the step that determines the rate of reaction.

[Alex Yeghikian 1C]

Imagine you're on the freeway and you're able to go really fast until you hit a patch of traffic, where you're stuck and have to go slowly. How quickly you'll be able to reach your destination depends more on how long you're stuck in traffic then the rest of the freeway. It's the same for reaction mechanisms, the slowest step is what determines the rate of the overall reaction.

[Briana Chavez 3F]

Hi! To add onto the previous explanations, the slowest step is the rate-determining step, because the overall reaction simply cannot go any faster than its most time-consuming factor. Basically, the rest of the reaction is dependent on the slowest step. It is also important to note that not all reactions have a rate determining step, because this only happens if a step is significantly slower than the other steps.

[Catherine Grigorian 3L]

The slow step is the step that would limit the mechanism. Therefore if it is what is limiting the mechanism, it is the one that is determining the overall rate of the mechanism. This is similar to a factory. The factory is going to make products at a rate of the slowest worker.

[alyssa]

the slow step determines the rate since the reaction will only produce as many products as the slowest step allows