Consider the following features of a chemical reaction - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 12 - 2023 - Paper 1
Question 12
Consider the following features of a chemical reaction.
I. activation energy
II. ΔH of the reaction
III. enthalpy of the reactants
Compared with the uncatalsed rea... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Consider the following features of a chemical reaction - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 12 - 2023 - Paper 1
Step 1
I. activation energy
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Answer
A catalyst lowers the activation energy of a reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway. This means that the energy barrier is reduced, allowing more reactant molecules to have enough energy to collide and react.
Step 2
II. ΔH of the reaction
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Answer
The enthalpy change (ΔH) of the reaction remains unchanged with the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst affects only the rate of the reaction and not the overall energy change from reactants to products.
Step 3
III. enthalpy of the reactants
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Answer
The enthalpy of the reactants is not affected by the presence of a catalyst. A catalyst does not alter the energy levels of the reactants or products, but it does influence the rate at which equilibrium is reached.
