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How does the addition of a catalyst affect the equilibrium position of a chemical reaction?Include an example with a balanced chemical equation and calculations to support your answer.

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The addition of a catalyst to a chemical reaction does not affect the equilibrium position of the reaction. A catalyst works by lowering the activation energy of the reaction, allowing it to reach equilibrium faster. However, it does not change the equilibrium constant  K  or the equilibrium concentrations of the reactants and products.Let's consider the following reversible reaction as an example:N2 g  + 3H2 g   2NH3 g The equilibrium constant  K  for this reaction at a certain temperature can be expressed as:K = [NH3]^2 /  [N2] * [H2]^3 Now, let's assume we have the following initial concentrations:[N2] = 1.0 M[H2] = 3.0 M[NH3] = 0.0 MWithout a catalyst, the reaction might take a long time to reach equilibrium. However, when we add a catalyst, the reaction will reach equilibrium faster, but the final equilibrium concentrations of N2, H2, and NH3 will remain the same.For example, let's assume that at equilibrium, the concentrations are:[N2] = 0.8 M[H2] = 1.2 M[NH3] = 0.4 MThe equilibrium constant  K  can be calculated as:K =  0.4 ^2 /  0.8 *  1.2 ^3   0.026Now, if we add a catalyst to the reaction, the reaction will reach equilibrium faster, but the equilibrium concentrations of N2, H2, and NH3 will still be the same:[N2] = 0.8 M[H2] = 1.2 M[NH3] = 0.4 MAnd the equilibrium constant  K  will also remain the same:K =  0.4 ^2 /  0.8 *  1.2 ^3   0.026In conclusion, the addition of a catalyst does not affect the equilibrium position of a chemical reaction. It only speeds up the rate at which the reaction reaches equilibrium. The equilibrium constant  K  and the equilibrium concentrations of the reactants and products remain unchanged.

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