Chemical Kinetics - Show that only the reactants of the slow step of a reaction are found in the rate law of the reaction.
Consider the following reaction:
NO2 + CO → NO + CO2
A suggested mechanism for the above reaction is given below:
NO2 + NO2 → NO3 + NO ------------ (step-1)
NO3 + CO → NO2 + CO2 ------------ (step-2)
If the rate law is known to be k[NO2]2,
a) which of the two steps is slower?
b) Which substance (if any) is probably an unstable intermediate?