Catalysts provide alternate mechanisms for chemical reactions.
If a reaction can occur by two or more competing mechanisms, according
to the law of detailed balance, each one must separately be at equilibrium
if the reaction is at equilibrium.
Chemical reactions can produce oscillations if autocatalytic steps occur in
the mechanism of the reaction.
Polymers are created by covalently bonding monomer molecules together
in chains or networks. The reaction kinetics of polymer formation can be
studied by methods already introduced.
Nonequilibrium electrochemical cells can be studied by methods that we
have introduced in previous chapters.
Reaction mechanisms can sometimes be verified by direct observation of
reaction intermediates.
