Catalysts and Reaction Pathways

[Kayli Choy 2F]

I know that catalysts increase the rate of the forward reaction by providing a new pathway with a lower activation energy, but why do catalysts also increase the rate of the reverse reaction?

[Izzie Capra 2E]

The catalyst essentially does the same thing for a reverse reaction. Just as a catalyst provides a new, quicker pathway for the forward reaction, it also creates a new pathway for the reverse reaction.

[005391550]

it helps if you look at the graph for the reaction profile. a catalyst would lower the activation energy for the whole graph so the new forward pathway and new reverse pathway look the same and both are at a lower Ea than before.

[805394719]

The forward and reverse reaction proceed by the same mechanism which means that if the forward reaction is facilitated, the reverse is also facilitated.

[005384106]

Besides adding a catalyst, how else can you lower activation energy?

[005384106]

Besides adding a catalyst, can increasing the temperature, increasing pressure, or decreasing volume speed up a reaction with the large activation energy?

[vibha gurunathan 1h]

Besides adding a catalyst, can increasing the temperature, increasing pressure, or decreasing volume speed up a reaction with the large activation energy?

I'd assume that it would change the reaction forwards/backwards in terms of Le Chatelier's Principle? but I'm honestly not too sure how it interacts with speed and kinetics.