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Termolecular Elementary Reactions

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A termolecular elementary reaction requires three particles to collide simultaneously, a rare event far less probable than an ordinary two-particle collision.

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Nitric oxide with oxygen is one of the few reactions believed to use a termolecular step.

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Seeing three reactant particles in an overall equation does not mean the mechanism has a termolecular step — bimolecular steps in sequence are much likelier.

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