What are the purposes and meanings of constants in scientific equations?

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Constants in equations, particularly in the context of reaction rates, serve a crucial role beyond mere functionality. In the equation rate = k [A]^x [B]^y, the constant k represents the rate constant, which reflects how the rate of a reaction responds to the concentrations of reactants A and B. While k may appear to be a simple factor to balance units, it encapsulates important information about the reaction's kinetics and temperature dependence. The variability of k across different reactions and orders highlights its significance, as it cannot be directly compared between reactions of differing orders due to its unit dependency. Understanding constants like k is essential for grasping the underlying principles of chemical kinetics and their implications in reaction mechanisms.
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What exactly are constants? Are they just used to make the equation work or is there something more meaningful than this? Right now I am studying rate of reactions and they go something like this:

rate = k [A]^x ^y

It seems like k is only there to make the equation work. It would seem like k is the responsiveness of rate to concentration. But this becomes meaningless when comparing two reaction of different orders; they take on different units for different orders.
 
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