For the rate expression rate 3/2 k A B the overall order of a reaction is — Chemical Kinetics Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

# Solution: Overall Order of Reaction **Given rate expression:** $$\text{rate} = k[A]^{3/2}[B]^1$$ **Step 1: Identify individual orders** - Order with respect to $[A]$ = $\frac{3}{2}$ - Order with respect to $[B]$ = $1$ **Step 2: Calculate overall order** Overall order = Sum of all individual orders $$\text{Overall order} = \frac{3}{2} + 1 = \frac{3}{2} + \frac{2}{2} = \frac{5}{2} = 2.5$$ **Answer: The overall order is 2.5 (or 5/2)** This is a **fractional order** reaction, which is possible for complex reactions involving intermediate steps or elementary reactions that occur simultaneously. The overall order doesn't need to be a whole number, unlike the stoichiometric coefficients in the balanced equation.