Catalysts in Chemistry

Mr. Anderson explains the role of catalysts in speeding up chemical reactions without being consumed. He discusses how catalysts lower activation energy, using examples like the catalase enzyme and the elephant toothpaste experiment. The video covers energy profiles and how catalysts can create new intermediates to facilitate reactions.

What is a key characteristic of catalysts in chemical reactions?

• They change the products of the reaction.

• They increase the energy required for the reaction.

• They are consumed in the reaction.

• They speed up reactions without being consumed.

How do catalysts generally speed up chemical reactions?

• By increasing the temperature of the reaction.

• By lowering the activation energy required.

• By changing the reactants into different substances.

• By increasing the pressure of the system.

What is the role of a catalyst in the transition state of a reaction?

• It removes the transition state entirely.

• It stabilizes the transition state.

• It increases the energy of the transition state.

• It destabilizes the transition state.

What can some catalysts do to the reaction mechanism?

• They can increase the overall energy of the reaction.

• They can remove steps from the mechanism.

• They can add new intermediates and steps.

• They can change the final products.

What is catalase and where is it found?

• A gas used to speed up reactions.

• An enzyme found in almost all living cells.

• A synthetic chemical found in labs.

• A type of metal used in reactions.

What does the catalase enzyme do to hydrogen peroxide?

• It turns it into a solid compound.

• It converts it into carbon dioxide and water.

• It breaks it down into water and oxygen.

• It increases its concentration.

In the elephant toothpaste experiment, what acts as the catalyst?

• Soap

• Water

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Potassium iodide

What is the role of iodine in the elephant toothpaste experiment?

• It grabs one of the oxygen atoms.

• It changes the color of the reaction.

• It acts as a reactant.

• It increases the temperature.

How does the elephant toothpaste experiment demonstrate the effect of a catalyst?

• By showing a slow reaction.

• By producing a large amount of foam quickly.

• By changing the color of the solution.

• By reducing the temperature of the reaction.

What is the effect of breaking a one-step reaction into two steps in terms of energy?

• It decreases the overall activation energy.

• It increases the overall activation energy.

• It has no effect on the activation energy.

• It changes the products of the reaction.