Catalysts

[gabby_15]

How do you generally figure out which compound is a catalysts?

[405972194]

If a compound is present at the beginning on the reactants side and present still in the product side of another reaction, then it is a catalyst. most intermediates are first present on the products side and then appear again on the reactant side of the next reaction

[CindyMorales1H]

Catalysts can be identified through experimental observation. If a substance is present at the beginning and end of the reaction in the same amount, it's likely a catalyst!

[oliviabruin24]

I kind of think of catalysts as the opposite of intermediates. Whereas intermediates are created in one step and consumed in a subsequent step, catalysts are generally there in the beginning of a mechanism, are consumed, then are created again later. This makes sense because catalysts are not used up in the reactions/mechanisms they catalyze. They are simply used to lower activation energy and get the process started, then they’re discarded when the reaction no longer needs them.

[BB Dis 1H]

Hey! So when given the reaction, you will see that catalyst being used as a reactant; however, it will never be used up and therefore is a product of the reaction. If the reaction has multiple steps, it might not show up in the products immediately, so be careful of that.
Ex. O3(g) + NO(g) --> NO2(g) + O2(g) (slow)
NO2(g) + O(g) --> NO(g) + O2(g) (fast)
NO(g) is a reactant in the first step, but does not show up in the products of the first step. However, later on it is a product of the second step. It was not consumed, making it the catalyst.