What happens to a catalyst in a reaction?
a. it remains unchanged
b. it is incorporated into the
products
c. it is incorporated into the
reactants
d. it evaporates
I don't think any of them are completely true but the closest to being the correct answer is a.
B. Remains unchanged
a. It remains unchanged.
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. In other words, it helps the reaction occur more quickly but does not undergo any permanent change itself. So, the correct answer is option a) it remains unchanged.
To understand what happens to a catalyst in a reaction, you can refer to the definition and role of a catalyst. A catalyst works by providing an alternate pathway for the reaction to occur with lower activation energy. It accomplishes this by interacting with the reactant molecules, facilitating the breaking and forming of chemical bonds in a way that lowers the energy barrier for the reaction.
During the reaction, the catalyst may temporarily bind to the reactant molecules and form an intermediate complex, but it is energetically favorable for the catalyst to be released without undergoing any permanent changes. This means that once the reaction is complete, the catalyst is free to participate in additional reaction cycles and is not consumed or incorporated into the overall products or reactants.
It is important to note that a catalyst may undergo physical changes, such as becoming dissolved in a solvent or physically adsorbed onto a surface, but its chemical composition remains the same throughout the reaction.