Molecularity

[RyanTran2F]

When we talk about molecularity, is it ONLY used to describe the number of species in an elementary step or will it ever be used to describe a regular overall reaction? Thanks :)

[joycelee1A]

The textbook defines molecularity as the number of reactant molecules or species taking part in a specified elementary reaction, so I would think that it has to do with the elementary step and not the overall reaction.

[Michelle Chernyak 1J]

Molecularity is only used to describe elementary reactions

[Kailey Brodeur 1J]

Molecularity cannot be used to describe an overall reaction because you cannot confirm which species are colliding from the overall reaction. You cannot tell which species are interacting with each other (bimolecular, termolecular) or reacting with itself (unimolecular), so molecularity is not helpful for an overall reaction.