CATALYSIS

What you can expect to learn from this page:

You should be able to identify catalysis in real life situations and associate catalysts with equilibrium. You should also be able to explain how catalysis works and how it helps a chemical reaction.

Background Summary:

You should know basic chemistry, and beginning kinetics. You should also understand reaction rates, and collision methods.

Lesson:

Introduction to Catalysis:
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a reaction, but itself is not being consumed. Catalysis will have the same amount at the beginning and at the end of a reaction, but the reaction will occur at a faster rate. Catalysts speed up the process of a chemical reaction by decreasing the activation energy. A Catalyst aligns molecules favorably and cuts activation energy by pulling against the bonds. Catalysts orient the molecules so that when collisions occur, the reaction is more efficient and more likely to happen.

What does a Catalyst do?

a) It slows down the reaction rate and decreases the activation energy
b) It speeds up the reaction rate and decreases the activation energy
c) It slows down the reaction rate and increases the activation energy
d) It speeds up the reaction rate and increases the activation energy

Catalysis and Real Life Examples:
The Catalytic Converter in a car engine speeds up the detoxification of exhaust gases. One such reaction breaks caustic Nitric Oxide to N₂ and O₂ :

2NO  →  N₂  +  O₂

In the Converter chamber, Platinum, Rhodium, and Palladium screens bind to the gas molecules via various Inter Molecular Forces.


Let's say you are shoe shopping, and you find a pair of shoes you are interested in, but they cost $100. You have the money, but don't think it's worth it. Next week, you know the pair of shoes will be on clearance, so you'll return then. The shoes are now $10, and you still have your $100. You decide that you want to buy 10 pairs of shoes for $100 instead; originally you would have only bought 1 pair of shoes for $100. The Catalysis in this situation would be the sale. The sale is lowering the price, which represents the lowering of activation energy.

You have two roads separated by a body of water. In order for the cars to get to the opposite side, they must take a ferry. The ferry can only carry one car across at a time, and it has to come back and forth all day long. If we were to build a bridge, multiple cars could get across at a time. Which means more cars would get to the other side faster. What does the bridge symbolize?

a) Activation Energy
b) A Reaction
c) A Catalyst
d) None of the above

Homework (if any):