Sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide in the...

Sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide in the following sequence of reactions: $$2 \mathrm{SO}_{2}(g)+2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{SO}_{3}(g)+2 \mathrm{NO}(g)$$ $$2 \mathrm{NO}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g)$$ (a) Write the chemical equation for the overall reaction. (b) Identify any molecule that acts as a catalyst or intermediate in this reaction.

Sulfur dioxide is oxidized to sulfur trioxide in the following sequence of reactions:
$$2 \mathrm{SO}_{2}(g)+2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{SO}_{3}(g)+2 \mathrm{NO}(g)$$
$$2 \mathrm{NO}(g)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \longrightarrow 2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}(g)$$
(a) Write the chemical equation for the overall reaction.
(b) Identify any molecule that acts as a catalyst or intermediate in this reaction.

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Key Concepts

Reaction Mechanism

The reaction mechanism is the detailed step-by-step sequence of elementary reactions by which an overall chemical reaction occurs. It provides insight into the individual steps, including the formation and consumption of intermediates, and helps identify the roles of catalysts and transitional species in the process.

Catalyst

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, without being consumed in the process. It participates in one or more steps of a reaction mechanism and is regenerated by the end of the reaction, thereby not affecting the overall stoichiometry.

Reaction Intermediate

A reaction intermediate is a transient species that is produced in one step of a reaction mechanism and subsequently consumed in a later step. Although it plays a crucial role in the stepwise progression of the reaction, it does not appear in the overall balanced chemical equation.

Overall Reaction Equation

An overall reaction equation is a summary of a multi-step process where intermediate species are eliminated to show only the starting reactants and final products. It represents the net chemical change occurring in the process by combining the individual reactions and canceling out any species that appear on both sides of the arrows.

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