Zero Order Reactions in Real Life [ENDORSED]

[Ricardo Ruiz Flores 1D]

Can someone elaborate on why Dr. Lavelle discussed enzymes and catalysts as examples of reactant concentration not affecting the rate of the reaction?

[Curtis Tam 1J]

Basically if the reactant is not affecting the rate of the reaction, it is probably due to the presence of a catalyst. If we have an efficient catalyst, then reactions will go faster. If the catalyst is not very good, the reactions will go slower. Both of these observations would be made without regards to the initial concentrations of the reactants.

[RuchaDeshpande1L]

In addition, Dr. Lavelle mentioned that enzymes can become saturated. This means that all active sites on all the available catalysts are filled with a substrate. If this is the case, then increasing the concentration of the substrate will have no effect on the rate of catalyzation, because all active sites are already filled. Therefore, catalyzation reactions are examples of zero-order reactions.

[Yu Chong 2H]

Normally we use very little catalyst for a particular reaction. If The entire surface of the catalyst is covered with reacting reactants, then no matter what is the concentration of the reactant, the rate will not increase.