Intermediate Species

[Noe BM 1J]

Could anyone please explain what exactly is an intermediate species?

[Jessica Castellanos]

The easiest way I can explain this is by an example:
Let's say,
A + B → X
and X → C + D

Then, for the reaction A + B → C + D, X is the intermediate species because although it cancels out and isn't present in the overall reaction, it was still a species in the process.

[Renee Grange 1I]

Additionally, I believe reactions have the same intermediate species whether they are going in the reverse or forward direction.

[Andres Merlos 2L]

An intermediate species is not part of the overall reaction equation, but it does play a role in the mechanisms of it. It is formed and consumed in the middle of the reaction.

[Hui Qiao Wu 1I]

It is a specie that first gets produced and then later used as a reactant.

[Cole Woulbroun 1J]

Many reactions are thought to occur in steps, as they make the formation of particular products from particular products more plausible. An intermediate is a molecule, atom, or ion that is produced in one of these stepwise reactions and consumed in another one of these stepwise reactions.

[Niharika 1H]

An intermediate species is a species that plays a role in a reaction but does not appear in chemical equations for the overall reaction.

[rohun2H]

An intermediate species is one that is present in the mechanism but not in the reactants nor the products of the overall reaction.

[505306205]

An intermediate species is a species that is formed in the middle of the reaction but does not appear in the overall reaction equation or overall reaction rate equation.

[CameronDis2K]

It is usually an element or compound in a series of reactions that cancels out as is not present in the overall final equation (it is consumed in the process):
A + B --> C
B + C --> E
2B + A --> E, here the intermediate is C.