Elementary Reactions

AP Chemistry· difficulty 3/5

A B C A + B + C -> products

Termolecular elementary steps are rare because:

  • A

    They require a catalyst

  • B

    Three-body simultaneous collisions are improbable

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  • C

    They are impossible by quantum rules

  • D

    They violate conservation of energy

Explanation

The probability of three molecules colliding simultaneously with proper orientation and energy is very low.

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