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Chapter 13: Problem 117

True or false? A catalyst in a reaction decreases the energy gap between reactants and products. If the statement is false, explain why.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The statement is false. A catalyst in a reaction decreases the activation energy, not the energy gap between the reactants and products. The catalyst affects the kinetics of the reaction, allowing it to proceed at a faster rate, but does not change the overall thermodynamics, such as the change in Gibbs free energy (∆G).

Step by step solution

01

1. Understand the role of catalysts in a reaction

Catalysts are substances that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. They do this by lowering the activation energy (the minimum energy required for the reaction to occur) needed to achieve the transition state, which in turn increases the rate constant and overall rate of the reaction.
02

2. Analyze the statement about energy gap

The statement refers to the "energy gap between reactants and products." This is not the same as the activation energy (energy barrier). The energy gap mentioned refers to the difference in energy between reactants and products, also known as the change in Gibbs free energy (∆G) in a reaction, which provides information about the spontaneity of the reaction.
03

3. Compare activation energy and energy gap

As previously mentioned, catalysts lower the activation energy, but they do not change the energy levels of the reactants and products themselves, nor do they change the overall energy change (∆G) of a reaction.
04

4. Determine the truthfulness of the statement and explain

The statement is false. A catalyst in a reaction decreases the activation energy, not the energy gap between the reactants and products. The catalyst affects the kinetics of the reaction, allowing it to proceed at a faster rate, but does not change the overall thermodynamics, such as the change in Gibbs free energy (∆G).

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