DF 4 - Kinetics

Question 1

What is a catalyst?

Answer 1

A catalyst is a species that is not used up in the reaction, and helps to increase the rate of reaction by offering an alternate pathway for the reaction to take

Question 2

What is a catalyst poison?

Answer 2

A substance that reduces the effectiveness of the catalyst by permanently bonding to the active sites

Question 3

What does heterogeneous mean?

Answer 3

A heterogeneous catalyst is one that does not share the same phase as the reactants. For example the solid iron catalyst in the gaseous reaction of hydrogen and nitrogen

Question 4

What does a heterogeneous catalyst look like?

Answer 4

The reactants form a partial bonds with the catalyst, adsorbing onto the surface, because the reactants are in close proximity, successful collisions are more frequent

Question 5

What is cracking?

Answer 5

Cracking is the breaking of long chain alkenes into shorter chain alkanes and alkenes