Catalyst role in a reation
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Catalyst role in a reation
If a catalyst speeds up the rate of reaction, how can it have no effect on the overall rxn?
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- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:32 am
Re: Catalyst role in a reation
I assume you mean the equation of the overall reaction?
It's because catalysts are consumed then produced again, making catalysts show up on both the reactant and product sides of equations, so they can cancel each other out
For example:
H2O is on the reactant side of the first step and product side of the last step (it was consumed then produced again) so it is a catalyst, it's not in the overall equation because when something is on both sides of an equation, they can cancel each other out
It's because catalysts are consumed then produced again, making catalysts show up on both the reactant and product sides of equations, so they can cancel each other out
For example:
H2O is on the reactant side of the first step and product side of the last step (it was consumed then produced again) so it is a catalyst, it's not in the overall equation because when something is on both sides of an equation, they can cancel each other out
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- Posts: 79
- Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2023 12:04 pm
Re: Catalyst role in a reation
Agreed. Catalysts provide a different reaction mechanism with a lower activation energy (as the transition state between reactants and products, with weakened reactant bonds and unformed product bonds, is more stable). However, even though a catalyst can be consumed in a particular elementary step or produced in a particular elementary step, the net reaction involves no change in catalyst concentration such that it is not considered to participate in the overall reaction.
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