Timing of rate laws

$aR \to bP, Rate = -\frac{1}{a} \frac{d[R]}{dt} = \frac{1}{b}\frac{d[P]}{dt}$

Gurvardaan Bal1L
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Timing of rate laws

Do rate laws always take the initial rate into account, seeing as how we only are interested in the concentrations of the reactants? Or is this just a format to get the rate of the forward reaction, and you could also write a rate law for the reverse of a reaction?

vicenteruelos3
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:07 am

Re: Timing of rate laws

it at the beginning so we use the initial rate because any rate after could be affected by products going back to reactants

Gurvardaan Bal1L
Posts: 54
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:04 am
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Re: Timing of rate laws

Right and I understand that, but there are examples of problems in the book where products are a factor as in section 15.3 page 621. So what I'm asking is can the rate law be applied to reverse reactions using the product concentration or maybe halfway points in the reaction process?