Pre-Equilibrium Steps

[Miya Lopez 1I]

Are we expected to know whether a reaction is fast or slow in order to use the pre-equilibrium approach? For example, in lecture today for the pre-equilibrium approach, step 1 was a fast bimolecular dimerization and step 2 was a slow bimolecular reaction.

[monikac4k]

Usually, the problem will tell us which steps are fast and which step is slow. Then with that information, we can solve for the overall rate law.

[Angela Grant 1D]

we'd be given which steps are fast or slow, so we'd just have to know that the slow step is the rate-determining step