Reaction Mechanism
Imagine trying to bake a cake for the first time without a recipe, where each step you take builds upon the last to create the final product. Just like baking a cake, a reaction mechanism outlines the step-by-step process that transforms reactants into products, with each chemical equation representing a stage in the transformation. In both scenarios, each individual step is crucial; missing a step in the recipe, like forgetting to mix the batter, is akin to skipping an intermediate reaction, which could result in an incomplete or incorrect final outcome.
Practice Version
Reaction Mechanism: The series in which a chemical reaction takes place, expressed in a series of chemical equations. Reaction mechanism. A reaction mechanism explains the step-by-step sequence of events at the molecular level that leads to a chemical reaction.