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Reaction Mechanism definitions

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  • Reaction mechanism
    A sequence of elementary steps detailing the molecular-level process of a chemical reaction.
  • Elementary step
    A single event in a reaction mechanism showing the progress of a reaction at the molecular level.
  • Catalyst
    A compound appearing as a reactant in the first step and as a product in the final step of a mechanism.
  • Reaction intermediate
    A compound that appears as a product in one step and as a reactant in another within a mechanism.
  • Molecularity
    The number of reactant molecules involved in an elementary step, determining its classification.
  • Unimolecular
    An elementary step involving one reactant molecule.
  • Bimolecular
    An elementary step involving two reactant molecules.
  • Termolecular
    An elementary step involving three reactant molecules.
  • Rate-determining step
    The slowest step in a reaction mechanism, dictating the overall reaction rate.
  • Rate law
    An expression relating the rate of a reaction to the concentration of reactants, derived from the slow step.
  • Coefficients
    Numbers in a chemical equation indicating the proportion of reactants and products, used in rate laws.