What Is a Catalyst? 

Explainer:

BY Team Aakash Byjus

A catalyst is a chemical substance that increases the rate of a chemical process.

Catalyst

A catalyst increases the rate of a chemical reaction without getting involved in the chemical reaction.

Catalyst - Working Mechanisms

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A catalyst generally facilitates various pathways for a chemical reaction with lower activated energy than the un-catalyzed pathways.

Examples Iron is used in Ammonia production.

Nitrogen is used in the production of Sulphuric acid.

Zeolite is used in the cracking of petroleum.

Catalysts are of three kinds. They are: -Acid-base catalysts -Heterogeneous catalysts -Enzymes

Types of Catalysts

Acid-base catalysts:

Acid-base catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction by adding an acid or a base.

These involve systems where the reaction occurs in different phases.

Heterogeneous Catalysts

Enzymes

Mostly, all the enzymes are proteins. These increase the rate of biological processes.

Uses of Catalysts

 Catalysts speed up the chemical reactions.

Catalysts are very useful in industrial processes. Catalysts are helpful in the manufacturing of plastic products.

In biological processes, catalysts increase the rate of oxidation and reduction reactions.