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how does a catalyst affect the activation energy? how does a catalyst affect the activation energy? a catalyst provides an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. a catalyst primarily weakens the bonds in reactants. a catalyst provides energy necessary for reactants to proceed to products. a catalyst raises the activation energy of the reverse reaction.

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A catalyst provides an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This means that the catalyst lowers the amount of energy required for the reaction to proceed, making it easier for the reactants to form products. This is why catalysts are often used in industrial processes to speed up reactions that would otherwise be too slow to be practical.
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User Mayank Sharma
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Final answer:

A catalyst affects the activation energy of a reaction by providing an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.

Step-by-step explanation:

A catalyst affects the activation energy of a reaction by providing an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This means that the catalyst lowers the energy barrier that reactant molecules need to overcome in order to form the products.

For example, if we compare the potential energy diagrams of a reaction with and without a catalyst, we can see that the catalyst lowers the activation energy of the reaction, as shown in the figure. The catalyst does not affect the energy of the reactants or products, it only provides a lower energy pathway for the reaction to occur.

Therefore, we can conclude that a catalyst lowers the activation energy of a reaction, allowing it to proceed at a faster rate.

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User Truf
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