BRAINCAKEExam Style Question - 3
Question: Explain how a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction. Refer to the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution in your answer. (3 marks)
A catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. The catalyst is not used up and is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.
On a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution the curve itself does not change, because the temperature is the same. A new, lower activation energy is marked to the left of the original Ea.
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More in Kinetics
- Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
- Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution and Activation Energy
- The Effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate
- Catalysts
- Catalytic Converters
- Exam Style Question - 1
- Exam Style Question - 2
- Exam Style Question - 4
All 14 lessons in Kinetics · All AQA AS-level Chemistry topics