The Rate Law Question 3

\ce{X_2 + Y_2 -> X_2Y_2}

\text{rate}=k[\ce{X_2}]

A reaction and its experimentally determined rate law are represented above. A chemist proposes two difference possible mechanisms for the reaction, which are given below.

Based on the information above, which of the following is true?

Only mechanism 1 is consistent with the rate law.

Only mechanism 2 is consistent with the rate law.

Both mechanism 1 and mechanism 2 are consistent with the rate law.

Neither mechanism 1 nor mechanism 2 is consistent with the rate law.

Approach

The rate law is determined only be the slowest step. In both mechanism 1 and mechanism 2, the slowest step is:

\ce{X_2 -> 2X}

This equation is associated with the rate law, $\text{rate}=k[\ce{X_2}]$ .