Overall order

[Javier_Martinez_1J]

When looking at an overall order we only consider the slow reaction, cancel any overlap (reactants becoming products) in the equation and then get our rate law thus providing what the final order should be?

[905934067]

When determining the overall order of a reaction, we focus on the slowest step or the rate-determining step. We do not simply cancel any intermediate states but solve for them in terms of the other reactions rate laws, substituting the intermediate out in the overall rate law.

[MarissaSmith1B]

If you are given a reaction with multiple steps, you mainly look at the reactants of the slow reaction to get the rate law. If this tentative rate law includes any reactants, we must use the pre-equilibrium method to find the rate law. We can solve for the intermediate in the first, fast, reaction and then plug in this expression to the original tentative rate law. From this, we can add the orders to determine the overall rate of the reaction

[andrea guzman 1F]

the overall reaction rate is determined by the slowest step and any intermediates in that step would be replaced by solving for them in term of other reactants in other steps