Which of the following describes the function of a catalyst?

Question

a
It speeds up a chemical reaction.
b
It takes part in a chemical reaction to create different products.
c
It makes a chemical reaction stop immediately.
d
It decreases the speed of a chemical reaction to control the reaction rate.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

a) It speeds up a chemical reaction.

Catalysts are substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. They provide an alternative pathway for the reaction with a lower activation energy.