CHEM#88: Destroyer(2008)

[A6project]

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The ANS key to the question basically states, "a catalyst lowers the E of activation for both the forward & reverse rxns, also changes the rxn mechanisms, and increases the specific constant."

However, I thought that catalyst does not change anything but lower the Activation E.

What does it mean by changing rxn mechanism and increasing specific constants? Can anyone give me examples for that, plz?

Thanks in advance!

 

[gigawatt]

Those are all one and the same. Activation energy is the difference in energy between your starting material and the transition state (which is the peak on the E vs. reaction coordinate diagram). The catalyst provides an alternate reaction mechanism that passes through a lower energy transition state. Since the rate constant is a function of the activation energy, it changes as well.