Flexi Says: The determination of a reaction mechanism can only be made in the laboratory. When a reaction occurs in a sequence of elementary steps, the overall reaction rate is governed by whichever one of those steps is the slowest. The rate-determining step is the slowest step in the sequence of steps in a reaction mechanism. To get an idea of how one step is rate determining, imagine driving on a one-lane road where it is not possible to pass another vehicle. The rate of flow of traffic on such a road would be dictated by whatever car is traveling at the lowest speed. The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is discussed below and illustrates how reaction mechanisms can be determined through experimental studies.
