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An alcohol and a carboxylic acid react to form an ester and water in an equilibrium reaction - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 13 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 13
An alcohol and a carboxylic acid react to form an ester and water in an equilibrium reaction. alcohol + carboxylic acid ⇌ ester + water Why is an acid catalyst use... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:An alcohol and a carboxylic acid react to form an ester and water in an equilibrium reaction - OCR Gateway - GCSE Chemistry - Question 13 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Why is an acid catalyst used in this reaction?
Answer
An acid catalyst is used in the reaction between alcohol and carboxylic acid to form an ester primarily to decrease the time taken to reach equilibrium. This acceleration is crucial as it speeds up the formation of the ester, allowing the reaction to reach its equilibrium state more efficiently. While the catalyst does not change the equilibrium position or affect the concentrations of the reactants and products at equilibrium, it facilitates the reaction process, ensuring that equilibrium is established in a shorter time frame. Therefore, the correct answer is D.