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ago in Physical Chemistry by (470 points)
How does the concentration of catalyst affect the rate of a catalytic reaction?

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ago by (250 points)
The concentration of a catalyst affects the rate of a catalytic reaction by increasing the number of active sites available for the reaction to occur. Catalysts work by lowering the activation energy of a reaction, which allows the reaction to proceed more quickly. They do this by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.When the concentration of a catalyst is increased, there are more catalyst particles available in the reaction mixture. This means that there are more active sites for the reactants to interact with, which increases the likelihood of successful collisions between reactant molecules and the catalyst. As a result, the rate of the catalytic reaction increases.However, it is important to note that the relationship between catalyst concentration and reaction rate is not always linear. At low catalyst concentrations, increasing the concentration will have a significant impact on the reaction rate. But as the concentration of the catalyst increases further, the reaction rate may reach a plateau, where adding more catalyst no longer significantly increases the rate. This is because other factors, such as the concentration of reactants, temperature, and the presence of inhibitors, can also influence the reaction rate.In summary, increasing the concentration of a catalyst generally increases the rate of a catalytic reaction by providing more active sites for the reaction to occur. However, the relationship between catalyst concentration and reaction rate may not be linear, and other factors can also influence the reaction rate.
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