catalyst

Question

A catalyst increases the rate of reaction by:

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

A **Catalyst** is a substance that increases the reaction rate without being consumed.
- It functions by providing an **alternative reaction mechanism** with a significantly **lower activation energy ($E_a$)**.
- Lower $E_a$ means a larger fraction of reactant molecules possess sufficient kinetic energy to overcome the potential energy barrier.
- Note: A catalyst increases both forward and backward rates equally, so it **does not** change the equilibrium position or the equilibrium constant ($K_{eq}$).

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catalyst

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More catalyst Practice Questions

A catalyst increases rate by: