At temperatures below 500 K, the reaction between carbon monoxide and nitrogen d

Question

At temperatures below 500 K, the reaction between carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide
CO (g) + NO2 (g) ? CO2 (g) + NO (g)
has the following rate equation: Rate = k[NO2]2. Which of the three mechanisms suggested here agrees with the experimentally observed rate equation?
Mechanism 1: Step 1 Slow NO2 + NO2 ? NO3 + NO
                      Step 2 Fast NO3 + CO ? NO2 + CO2
Mechanism 2: Step 1 Fast NO2 + NO2 ? N2O3 + O
                      Step 2 Slow N2O3 + O + CO ? CO2 + NO2 + NO
Mechanism 3: CO + NO2 ? CO2 + NO

Explanation / Answer

Its the mechanism 1, when we have a second order rate equation to an reactant, means that only the concentration of that reactant afect the velocity of the reaction and in thi mechanism the slow step its what involves the NO2.

The second mechanism is not because the slow step involves the Co plus you're havin g NO2 in the products wich is not in the chemical equation

The thrird mechanism is not possible because the chemical equation won't tell what is the relevant step and path of the reaction

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