TL: Rates and Reaction Mechanisms

Question 1

If a reactant is in the rate equation, what does this say about the rate determining step?

Answer 1

That reactant or something derived from it, will be involved in the rate determining step

Question 2

What does the order of a reaction with respect to a particular reactant show about the rate determining step?

Answer 2

It shows the number of molecules of that reactant that are in the rate determining step.

So if the order with respect to O2 is 2nd order, there are two molecules of O2 in the rate determining step

Question 3

How do enzyme catalysed reactions change order as they progress?

Why?

Answer 3

They start off as first order, and gradually become zero order.

The enzymes become saturated, and there are no more active sites available

Question 4

When an enzyme substrate reaction is in the first order stage, how many molecules of substrate are involved in the rate equation?

Answer 4

One

Question 5

When an enzyme substrate reaction is in the zero order stage, how many molecules of substrate are involved in the rate equation?

Answer 5

None