Note 475 — Chapter XII · THE COPPER AND SILVER GROUPS (Continued).—THE THEORY OF COMPLEX IONS

An equilibrium constant, as we have seen, is a ratio of velocity constants of balanced reactions (pp. 94, 233) and involves therefore at least two unknown velocity constants. By determining the actual rate of change with known concentrations of reacting components, i.e. by determining the velocity constants themselves, rather than their ratio, a definite conclusion as to the mechanism or path of a given reaction can often be reached (see p. 80).