Catalysts

[Lilyana Villa 3L]

Just to check, catalysts aren't included in the overall reaction but they can be included in the rate law at a specific step right?

[abby hyman]

Yes this is true. You do include catalysts in the rate law for the steps but the catalyst will not show up in the overall reaction, so will not be included in the overall rate law.

[Blake Ballew 1H]

Yes, for example if your first step includes a catalyst (which has been pretty common in these problems) you include it in the rate law for that first step, but when adding up the equations to get the overall reaction it would not be included as it would be on both sides of the equation and cancel out.

[Hayden Lee 1C]

Yes, they are not included in the overall reaction. Catalysts will be consumed in one step (they will interact with other reactants) and produced in a later step (the original catalyst species will be produced). Therefore, we will not use catalysts in the overall rate law for a reaction. I am unsure of whether we would include them in the rate law of an intermediate step.

[Tanya Bearson 2K]

Can you have a catalyst in the rate determining step of a reaction? If so, would it then be included in the rate law because it would be a reactant that is not formed in any other step?

[Yun Su Choi 3G]

I believe catalysts are not included as either a reactant or product of the overall rate law. We identify catalysts as those that appear in the reactant to start off the reaction and as a product on a subsequent step.

[Kelly Tran 1J]

Catalysts will not be included in the overall rate law because it is "consumed' in one step and then produced in another.