Question

Which of the following describes how a catalyst speeds up a reaction?

A) a catalyst participates in the reaction, making it go faster

B) a catalyst speeds up a reaction by causing lower energy products to be made

C) a catalyst lowers the activation energy by providing an alternate route for the reaction

D) a catalyst causes the reactants to collide more frequently

Answer 1

A catalyst lowers the activation energy by providing an alternate reaction pathway, which speeds up the reaction without being consumed.

Step-by-step explanation:

A catalyst speeds up a reaction by providing an alternate pathway for the reaction that has a lower activation energy. This means that the explanation C) a catalyst lowers the activation energy by providing an alternate route for the reaction is the correct description of how a catalyst works to speed up a chemical reaction. A catalyst does not participate as a reactant and is not consumed; it does not change the energy of products or make reactants collide more frequently, but it alters the mechanism, thereby requiring less energy for the reaction to proceed.