GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Detailed explanation-1: -A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, or lowers the temperature or pressure needed to start one, without itself being consumed during the reaction. Catalysis is the process of adding a catalyst to facilitate a reaction.

Detailed explanation-2: -A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction but is not consumed during the course of the reaction. A catalyst will appear in the steps of a reaction mechanism, but it will not appear in the overall chemical reaction (as it is not a reactant or product).

Detailed explanation-3: -Catalysts speed up chemical reactions. Only very minute quantities of the catalyst are required to produce a dramatic change in the rate of the reaction.

Detailed explanation-4: -A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction by providing an alternative reaction mechanism of lower activation energy but do not get consumed by the reaction. It also does not change the heat absorbed or liberated in the reaction as well as the rate constant.

Detailed explanation-5: -Catalysts lower the activation energy for reactions. The lower the activation energy for a reaction, the faster the rate. Thus enzymes speed up reactions by lowering activation energy.