Identifying Intermediates in chemical kinetics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying intermediates in a chemical kinetics mechanism involving the reactions of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen (H2). Participants explore the concept of intermediates in relation to elementary reactions and the overall balanced equation.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents a mechanism involving NO and H2, seeking to identify intermediates.
  • Another participant explains that intermediates are compounds that cancel out when adding elementary reactions to derive the overall reaction.
  • A participant suggests that N2O2 is the intermediate, as it was crossed out during the addition of the equations.
  • A later reply confirms the identification of N2O2 as correct, expressing satisfaction with the understanding of the concept.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There appears to be agreement on the identification of N2O2 as the intermediate, though the initial understanding of the concept was clarified through discussion.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not address potential complexities or alternative interpretations of what constitutes an intermediate in different contexts.

Who May Find This Useful

Students and individuals interested in chemical kinetics, particularly those learning about reaction mechanisms and intermediates.

future_vet
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Hello,

I have the following mechanism:
NO + NO -> N2O2
and
N2O2 + H2 -> N2O + H2O

We need to identify intermediates in the mechanism. I have no idea how to do that.
In case it helps, here are the answers (not sure they are right, but I think they are) to previous questions in the exercise:

The balanced overall equation is 2NO + H2 -> N2O + H2O

The rate law for each elementary reaction in the mechanism would be:
rate = k[NO][NO] (Why did they write NO + NO instead of 2NO anyway?)
and
rate= k[N2O2]



Now we need to identify intermediates... How?

THANK YOU!

 
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Intermediates are the compunds that drop out of the equation when you add together the elementary reactions to get the overall reaction. And when you add together elementary reactions you can cancel out the things that appear on both sides of the equation, these are the intermediates. Does this help?
 
Oh, so the intermediates would be the two N2O2 then, since I crossed them out when I added the equations..?
Thank you so much, it actually makes sense now!

Joanna.
 
future_vet said:
Oh, so the intermediates would be the two N2O2 then, since I crossed them out when I added the equations..?
Thank you so much, it actually makes sense now!

Joanna.

Yes that would be correct. Glad I could help.
 

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