Rate-determining Step

Real World Example

Imagine you're preparing for a party, and the longest part of the process is baking a cake, which takes significantly more time than setting up decorations or arranging snacks. This is similar to a chemical reaction where the rate-determining step is the slowest one, dictating how quickly the entire reaction can proceed. Just like how the cake's baking time sets the pace for when the party can start, the slowest step in a reaction determines the overall speed at which the reaction reaches completion.