The use of a catalyst in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide significantly increases the rate of reaction. A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed or altered in the process. It achieves this by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy, which allows more reactant molecules to have sufficient energy to undergo the reaction.In the case of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 decomposition, the reaction can be slow at room temperature. The reaction is as follows:2H2O2 2H2O + O2When a catalyst, such as manganese dioxide MnO2 , potassium iodide KI , or catalase an enzyme found in living organisms , is introduced into the reaction, it speeds up the decomposition process. The catalyst lowers the activation energy required for the reaction to occur, allowing more hydrogen peroxide molecules to decompose into water and oxygen gas at a faster rate.As a result, the use of a catalyst in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide leads to a significant increase in the rate of reaction, making the process more efficient and faster.