Chapter 59: Problem 10

How does the rate of the rate-limiting step in a mechanism involving a catalyst compare to the rate of the rate-limiting step of the mechanism without the catalyst present? Explain your reasoning.

Short Answer

Expert verified

The rate of the rate-limiting step in a mechanism involving a catalyst is faster than the rate of the rate-limiting step in the mechanism without the catalyst. This is because a catalyst lowers the activation energy, providing a faster pathway for the reaction, and thus, increasing the rate of the rate-limiting step.

Step by step solution

Understand the role of a catalyst

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction by lowering the activation energy, but is not consumed in the reaction. Therefore, it can be used repeatedly. It provides an alternative pathway for the reaction to occur with a lower activation energy.

Understanding the rate-limiting step

The rate-limiting step is the slowest step in a chemical reaction. This means it determines the overall rate of reaction because the reaction cannot continue to the next step until the rate-limiting step completes.

Compare the rates

Since a catalyst lowers the activation energy and provides a faster pathway for the reaction, it would make the rate-limiting step faster as well. So, the rate of the rate-limiting step in a mechanism with a catalyst would be faster compared to the rate of the rate-limiting step of the mechanism without the catalyst present.

Conclusion

Thus, the catalyst increases the rate of the chemical reaction by making the rate-limiting step faster. This is why catalysts are widely used in industry and biological systems to speed up reactions.

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How does the rate of the rate-limiting step in a mechanism involving a catalyst compare to the rate of the rate-limiting step of the mechanism without the catalyst present? Explain your reasoning.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the role of a catalyst

Understanding the rate-limiting step

Compare the rates

Conclusion

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