What is Rate-determining step?
The '''rate-determining step''' is the step for which the [[transition state]] has the highest energy. It is the slowest step within a [[chemical reaction]]. It can be thought of as the most difficult step to go through. It is also the step that must be used to calculate the [[activation energy]]. Knowing which step is rate-determining is very important when studying a [[reaction mechanism]]. This is because if this step is changed the reaction can go much faster. This can be done for example by using a different reagent or changing the [[temperature]] or [[pressure]]. Changing the conditions for any other step of the mechanism will not change the overall speed of the reaction at all. In the [[rate equation]], which is an equation to calculate the speed of the reaction from the [[concentration]] of [[molecule]]s, usually the only step that is important is the rate-determining one. {{Reaction mechanisms}} [[Category:Chemical kinetics]]