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What is a catalyst and why is it used in chemical reactions?

User Olter
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Catalysts speed up a chemical reaction by lowering the amount of energy you need to get one going. Catalysis is the backbone of many industrial processes, which use chemical reactions to turn raw materials into useful products.
User Bouvierr
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Answer:

A catalyst is a substance that can be added to a reaction to speed up the process without being absorbed by it. Catalysts usually work by lowering the activation energy or modifying the mechanism of a reaction. Proteins that act as catalysts in biochemical reactions are known as enzymes.

Step-by-step explanation:

User SledgeHammer
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