Catalyst

[Shaniya Kerns 4D]

What is a catalyst and how does it lower the activation energy of the transition state and how does it increase the rate of reaction. How can you tell?

[raina_bandekar_1G]

A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed itself. It works by providing an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This lower activation energy means that fewer collisions between reactant molecules will fail to result in a reaction because they've gained enough energy to reach the transition state more easily.

You can tell if a catalyst is present and effective in a reaction if the reaction proceeds more quickly with the catalyst compared to without it, or if the reaction happens at a lower temperature or pressure than it would without the catalyst.