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Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.14 - Chemical KineticsProblem 75a,b
Chapter 14, Problem 75a,b

(a) What is a catalyst? (b) What is the difference between a homogeneous and a heterogeneous catalyst?

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A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. It achieves this by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed, allowing the reaction to occur more easily and quickly.
Homogeneous catalysts are catalysts that exist in the same phase as the reactants, typically in a solution. This allows them to interact more uniformly with the reactants, often leading to more efficient catalysis.
Heterogeneous catalysts, on the other hand, exist in a different phase than the reactants, such as a solid catalyst interacting with gaseous or liquid reactants. These catalysts often provide a surface on which the reaction can take place, facilitating the interaction between reactants.
The key difference between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts lies in their phase relative to the reactants, which affects how they interact with the reactants and the mechanism by which they catalyze the reaction.
Understanding the nature of catalysts and their classification helps in selecting the appropriate catalyst for a given chemical reaction, optimizing reaction conditions, and improving industrial processes.

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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The reaction 2 NO1g2 + Cl21g2¡2 NOCl1g2 was performed and the following data were obtained under conditions of constant 3Cl24:

(a) Is the following mechanism consistent with the data? NO1g2 + Cl21g2ΔNOCl21g2 1fast2 NOCl21g2 + NO1g2¡2 NOCl1g2 1slow2

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Textbook Question

You have studied the gas-phase oxidation of HBr by O2: 4 HBr(g) + O2(g) → 2 H2O(g) + 2 Br2(g)

You find the reaction to be first order with respect to HBr and first order with respect to O2. You propose the following mechanism:

HBr(g) + O2(g) → HOOBr(g)

HOOBr(g) + HBr(g) → 2 HOBr(g)

HOBr(g) + HBr(g) → H2O(g) + Br2(g)

(a) Confirm that the elementary reactions add to give the overall reaction.

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Textbook Question

You have studied the gas-phase oxidation of HBr by O2: 4 HBr(g) + O2(g) → 2 H2O(g) + 2 Br2(g)

You find the reaction to be first order with respect to HBr and first order with respect to O2. You propose the following mechanism:

HBr(g) + O2(g) → HOOBr(g)

HOOBr(g) + HBr(g) → 2 HOBr(g)

HOBr(g) + HBr(g) → H2O(g) + Br2(g)

(b) Based on the experimentally determined rate law, which step is rate determining?

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Textbook Question

(c) Do catalysts affect the overall enthalpy change for a reaction, the activation energy, or both?

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Textbook Question

(a) Most commercial heterogeneous catalysts are extremely finely divided solid materials. Why is particle size important?

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Open Question
In solution, chemical species as simple as H+ and OH- can serve as catalysts for reactions. Imagine you could measure the [H+] of a solution containing an acid-catalyzed reaction as it occurs. Assume the reactants and products themselves are neither acids nor bases. Sketch the [H+] concentration profile you would measure as a function of time for the reaction, assuming t = 0 is when you add a drop of acid to the reaction.