Catalysts-How They Work

Diagram

Activation Energy Reduction:

A catalyst is a substance that lowers the activation energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

Activation Energy:

Activation energy is the minimum energy that reactant molecules must possess to initiate a reaction.

Increasing Successful Collisions:

Catalysts work by reducing the activation energy barrier, making it easier for molecules to reach the required energy level for a reaction.

Enhancing the Rate of Reaction:

By lowering the activation energy, catalysts increase the number of molecules with the minimum kinetic energy needed for successful collisions.
This, in turn, results in more successful collisions and a faster rate of reaction.

lightbulbExample

Example:

Imagine a hill that reactant molecules need to climb to initiate a reaction.
Without a catalyst, many molecules may not have enough energy to overcome the hill, leading to a slow reaction.
Adding a catalyst effectively reduces the height of the hill, allowing more molecules to reach the other side, leading to a faster reaction.

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Summary:

Catalysts work by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction, enabling more molecules to achieve the minimum kinetic energy needed for successful collisions. This increases the rate of reaction and is crucial in various chemical processes.

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