Does a catalyst REALLY decrease rate constant? Are you sure?

[Metabolics]

Hey,

Does a catalyst really affect the rate constant, or just increase the rate?

I know you've seen the Arrhenius equation on the activation energy, and that catalysts lower the activation energy...

However, do catalysts actually decrease the k or do they provide a new, separate rate constant and provide a new mechanism that adds to the original rate (k0[A])?

For MCAT purposes, does a catalyst increase k or just introduce a new mechanism with a different k that adds to the rate?

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[pfaction]

They provide a new pathway, therefore the K is different.

 

[johnwandering]

Remember not to confuse K with Keq