Fast and Slow Reactions
Some of the chemical reactions you have studied are fast while others are slow. For example, magnesium burns quickly in oxygen.On the other hand the rusting of iron takes place very slowly. Different reactions take place a different speeds (Figure 2.1).
speeds of reactions are important in daily life. At home you might be interested in how fast you can cook an egg or how fast food decays. You might also be concerned about the speed at which your bicycle is rusting.
Speeds of reactions are also important in industries. Many industrial reactions must be fast so that large amounts of products are formed in a short time. A slow reaction means slow production which means less profit.