Reaction mechanisms

[Dakota_Campbell_1C]

Why is the rate determining step always the slowest reaction

[Kevin ODonnell 2B]

That is because the entire reaction must wait for the slowest step to proceed. That's why this would be the rate-determining step.

[JacobHershenhouse3G]

Think about the steps of a given reaction being considered fast or slow. The two contingencies are at either ends of the spectrum, just like how acids and bases can be strong or weak. So, the rate of the whole reaction is determined mostly by the slowest step of the reaction because the fast step(s) are so quick, they're largely negligible.

[Ray Huang 1G]

Determining rate is the slowest bc everything else must wait for it to complete before it can proceed. It's basically the bottleneck.