Problem 4: How is the effect of a catalyst on a reaction explained by collision theory? Use a potential energy diagram sketch with a description to answer this question. *

Question

Problem 4: How is the effect of a catalyst on a reaction explained by collision theory? Use a potential energy diagram sketch with a description to answer this question. *

Answer 1

A catalyst functions by providing an alternate pathway for the reaction, i.e. a different series of elementary steps for the reaction to occur. This alternate pathway has a lower energy of activation, and thus requires less energy. Because it requires less energy, it requires fewer effective collisions in order for the reaction to occur.

I can't easily draw an energy diagram on this platform, but if you can do a search you'll see that the starting point and ending point are the same for the catalyst and no catalyst reaction. The only difference will be that the height of the curve (activation energy) will be lower for the catalyst than for the reaction without catalyst.