How does the presence of a catalyst affect the activation energy of a reaction? It depends on whether you are talking about the

Question

3 years ago

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How does the presence of a catalyst affect the activation energy of a reaction? It depends on whether you are talking about the

forward or the reverse reaction. A catalyst decreases the activation energy of a reaction. A catalyst increases the activation energy of a reaction. A catalyst does not affect the activation energy of a reaction.

Chemistry

1 answer:

Tanzania [10] · Answer 1 · 2022-07-20T10:09:34+03:00

Answer:

A catalyst decreases the activation energy of a reaction.

Explanation:

A catalyst allows a reaction to go through a new pathway that has a lower activation energy. Therefore, it will recquire less energy to reach the transition state (activated complex) which increases the rate of the reaction. This is the reason why adding a catalyst makes a reaction faster.

The figure attached shows the graphical representation of the effect of a catalyst on the activation energy.