2.7.5

Catalysts

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Catalysts

A catalyst will make a chemical reaction happen quicker.

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Rates of reaction

  • The rate of a chemical reaction is how fast reactants are turned into products.
  • Chemical reactions happen over a wide range of speeds.
Illustrative background for What do catalysts do?Illustrative background for What do catalysts do? ?? "content

What do catalysts do?

  • A catalyst is usually a solid chunk of metal that can be dropped into a reaction mixture.
  • Catalysts make the reactants turn into products faster than they would naturally.
  • A catalyst is not used up in a reaction.
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Why are catalysts useful?

  • Catalysts are useful to chemical manufacturers for making more chemicals each day.
  • Catalysts can save time, money and energy.
  • Catalysts are specific for certain reactions.
  • An example of a catalyst is iron in the reaction that makes ammonia (which is used in fertiliser).
    • Other metals would not speed up this reaction.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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