Catalysts

[Maegan Abutin 2C]

Hi. Can someone explain the role of catalysts in affecting the rate of a reaction and how that influences the rate law?

[Spencer T]

A catalyst affects the rate of a reaction in both the forward and reverse directions by providing an alternate pathway that has a lower activation energy. The addition of a catalyst to a reaction will in turn increase the value of the rate constant, changing the overall rate law.

[anasofia]

catalysts enhance reaction rates by lowering the activation energy barrier, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful collisions between reactant molecules, when the activation energy is lowered the reaction is more likely to take place in the forward or reverse direction (in the graph the bump Ea is lower).

[andrea guzman 1F]

hi catalysts lower the activation energy so they make it easier for the reaction to over come the activation energy hill.