MHT CET · Chemistry · Surface Chemistry

Which of the following is a character of catalyst?

A It changes the position of equilibrium.
B It increases the rates of both forward and Backward reactions equally in reversible reaction.
C It affects the energies of reactants and products of the reaction.
D It increases the activation energy of reactants.

Verified Solution

Answer & Solution

Correct Answer

(B) It increases the rates of both forward and Backward reactions equally in reversible reaction.

Step-by-step Solution

Detailed explanation

Reactions can be sped up by the addition of a catalyst, including reversible reactions involving a final equilibrium state. Recall that for a reversible reaction, the equilibrium state is one in which the forward and reverse reaction rates are equal. In the presence of a catalyst, both the forward and reverse reaction rates will speed up equally, thereby allowing the system to reach equilibrium faster. However, it is very important to keep in mind that the addition of a catalyst has no effect whatsoever on the final equilibrium position of the reaction. It simply gets it there faster.

Apply the relevant identity from the chapter and substitute the values established in the previous step, keeping the original constraint in view.

Use the simplified expression to isolate the unknown, then plug the result back into the question setup to confirm the working is internally consistent.

Cross-check against a boundary or limiting case. Both the dimensional balance and the qualitative behaviour at the extreme should agree with the candidate answer.

Combine the steps above to identify the correct option. The remaining choices each fail at least one of the consistency, dimensional, or boundary checks.

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