Initial reactions rates

[Chase Yonamine 1J]

Why do we study initial reaction rates as a function of only reactants?

[JadeSebti1L]

By focusing on only reactants, you are also somewhat tracking the rate of product formation because molecules in your solution are either reactants or products, nothing else. The rate of the reaction is also defined by the rate at which reactants form products, so looking at the concentration of reactants is a way to tell how fast the reaction is occurring as a function of time.

[Erin Kim 2G]

You don't have to take into consideration the reverse reaction, and by analyzing the initial reaction rates, you are also looking at the maximum possible rate of the reaction. It is also easier to calculate because the initial concentrations of the reaction are usually given.

[Karan Thaker 2L]

Also, I thought of it as being an initial rate, which means products may be negliglble or very low, and allow us to focus our calculations on reacatants only.