Catalyst Differences

[Barzin Badiee 2K]

Do some catalysts work better than others? If so, could someone give me two examples that compare two different types of catalysts and why one is better than the other for lowering activation energy?

[Nicholas_John_3L]

One example of catalysts in nature are enzymes. Enzymes help reactions occur in an activation site which is perfectly shaped to facilitate a specific reaction. The better the shape matches, the more effectively the enzyme acts. Just like catalysts, however, some enzymes will have no impact on other reactions.

[Jolene Robles 2H]

Yes! Different catalyst activate differently when working with a reactant. For example a catalyst can be different when taking temperature into consideration. This causes different activation energies which causes a change for the products. Two different catalyst can be enzymes and platinum.

[Isabelle Huerta 2I]

Yes, some catalysts definitely work better than others. This can be due to surface area, specificity, or strength with reactants. For example, enzymes are efficient catalysts and specific to substrates (some, not all), so they provide greater reduction in activation energy than heterogeneous catalysts. These enzymes are able to facilitate more efficient reaction pathways. Enzyme catalysts operate under less extreme conditions so higher selectivity is offered to enhance their ability in lowering activation energy.