Catalyst Question

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Consider the following mechanism:

Cl + O3 --> ClO +O2 (1)

ClO + O --> Cl + O2 (2)

In this mechanism, what is the catalyst?

I said the catalyst was Cl, as catalysts are neither produced nor used up in a final reaction. Cl is used up in step one then produced in step 3. I suppose the answer could be ClO as well as it is also neither produced nor used up. The answer given is just ClO.

Side note: No information is given on the rate determining step. My thought would be if (2) was the rate determining step then ClO would be a catalyst but I also wasn't sure about this.

 

[FeinMS]

Cl is the catalyst. ClO is an intermediate

 

[Vurday]

Catalysts start at x concentration, then their concentration drops along the course of the reaction before returning to the original x concentration at the end.

Intermediates start at 0 and peak in the middle of the reaction before returning to 0 at the end.

 

[Bigj5768]

you might have misread the answer because you and everyone are definitely right. It's definitely Cl

 

[gettheleadout]

Yeah, ClO definitely isn't a catalyst. Moving to Q&A.