Catalysts: Speed up the reaction but are not consumed; not part of the overall reaction. Intermediates: Formed and consumed during the reaction; not present in the overall reaction.

Rate Law from RDS: Determined by the reactants in the rate-determining step; must be verified experimentally. Overall Balanced Equation: Represents the stoichiometry of the reaction; does not directly indicate the rate.

1. Identify the rate-determining step (slowest step). 2. Write the rate law based on the reactants in the rate-determining step. 3. If the rate law contains an intermediate, substitute using the equilibrium expression of a fast, reversible step.

1. Derive the rate law from the proposed mechanism's rate-determining step. 2. Compare the derived rate law with the experimentally determined rate law. 3. If they match, the mechanism is consistent with experimental data.

1. Write down all the elementary steps in the mechanism. 2. Add all the steps together. 3. Cancel out any species that appear on both the reactant and product sides (intermediates and catalysts). 4. The remaining species form the overall balanced equation.

A detailed, step-by-step sequence of elementary reactions that collectively describe how a chemical reaction occurs.

A single step in a reaction mechanism that represents one molecular event.

A substance that speeds up a reaction without being consumed in the process.

A species that is formed and consumed during the reaction but does not appear in the overall balanced equation.

The slowest step in a reaction mechanism that determines the overall rate of the reaction.

An equation that expresses the rate of a reaction in terms of the concentrations of reactants.