Termolecular Elementary Step

Definition

A termolecular elementary step is a reaction that involves the collision of three molecules or species to form products. It is a relatively rare type of reaction due to the low probability of three particles colliding simultaneously.

Related terms

Unimolecular Reaction: A unimolecular reaction is an elementary step that involves the transformation of one molecule into products. For example, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into water and oxygen gas.

Bimolecular Reaction: A bimolecular reaction is an elementary step that involves the collision between two molecules or species to form products. An example would be the combination of hydrogen gas (H2) with chlorine gas (Cl2) to produce hydrogen chloride (HCl).

Elementary Step:

An elementary step refers to an individual chemical process in a reaction mechanism. It represents a single molecular event and may involve one or more molecules colliding or breaking apart.