Question

Which statement is true regarding the function of a catalyst in a chemical reaction?

-A catalyst provides an alternate mechanism for the reaction in which the rate-determining step has a higher activation energy.
-Enzymes are biological catalysts capable of decreasing the rate of specific biochemical reactions by many orders of magnitude.
-A catalyst is consumed by the reaction.
-A catalyst increases the rate of a reaction.

Answer 1

A catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy, allowing more reactants to collide and react effectively. Enzymes are a type of biological catalyst that work in the same way, without being consumed in the process.

Step-by-step explanation:

The true statement regarding the function of a catalyst in a chemical reaction is that a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction. Catalysts work by providing an alternate route for the reaction with a lower activation energy, which allows more reactant molecules to effectively collide and react, hence increasing the reaction rate. Enzymes, which are biological catalysts, function similarly by binding to reactants, or substrates, in a specific manner that lowers the activation energy required for the biochemical reactions they catalyze, thereby speeding them up significantly without being consumed in the process.