law of mass action is not applicable to
Answers
This is only valid for elementary reactions since they happen in a single step. As a result, such simple relations hold good.
But what about the more complicated ones. Certain reactions, like the oxidation of ethylbenzene to benzoic acid using hot KMnO⁴ don't happen in a single magical step. They involve lots of reactive intermediates and transition states, so it's basically a bunch of several elementary reactions. You can't consider the whole reaction as an elementary reaction.
But you can formulate a rate equation for non elementary reactions by considering them as a bunch of elementary ones. However such formulations involve knowing the mechanism of the reaction in question, along with other data.
hope this helps you.....
The law of mass action relates the rate of reaction with product of active masses of reactants raised to appropriate powers. It is applicable to both homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical equilibria.