A catalyst increases the rate of a reaction by

A. increasing the kinetic energy of the reacting molecules
B. raising the temperature of the reaction mixture
C. providing an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy
D. increasing the concentration of the reactants

Explanation

By offering a route with a smaller energy barrier, a catalyst allows a far larger proportion of collisions to be effective at the same temperature. It is recovered chemically unchanged at the end and it speeds the forward and reverse reactions equally, so the equilibrium position is untouched. A catalyst neither supplies energy nor alters concentration.

A catalyst increases the rate of a reaction by

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