Answer:
A catalyst decreases the activation energy of a reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
A catalyst allows a reaction to go through a new pathway that has a lower activation energy. Therefore, it will recquire less energy to reach the transition state (activated complex) which increases the rate of the reaction. This is the reason why adding a catalyst makes a reaction faster.
The figure attached shows the graphical representation of the effect of a catalyst on the activation energy.