What is meant by an elementary step in a reaction?
Answer: A step that occurs in a single stage, exactly as written, with no intermediates.
Solution
An elementary step is a reaction (or a step of a mechanism) that takes place in a single stage through one transition state — the molecules react exactly as the equation shows, without any detectable intermediate. Its molecularity is defined and equals the number of colliding species.
CBSE Class 12 Board · 2006 · Delhi Compartment; also All India 2004 · Subjective