Catalysts and enzymes remain unchanged chemically and quantitatively a...
Enzymes and chemical catalysts both affect the rate but not the equilibrium constant of a chemical reaction. Reactions proceed downhill energetically, in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Catalysts merely reduce the time that a thermodynamically favored reaction requires to reach equilibrium. Enzymes and chemical catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction in both directions, forward and reverse. This principle of catalysis follows from the fact that catalysts can't change the equilibrium of a reaction.
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Catalysts and enzymes remain unchanged chemically and quantitatively a...
Similarity between catalysts and enzymes: They do not change the equilibrium of the reaction
Catalysts and enzymes are both involved in facilitating chemical reactions, but they do so in different ways. However, one similarity between catalysts and enzymes is that they do not change the equilibrium of the reaction.
What is equilibrium of a reaction?
In a chemical reaction, the equilibrium state is reached when the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction. At equilibrium, the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time.
How do catalysts and enzymes work?
Catalysts and enzymes lower the activation energy required for a reaction to occur. This means that they provide an alternative reaction pathway with a lower energy barrier. By doing so, they increase the rate of the reaction.
Why catalysts and enzymes do not change the equilibrium of the reaction?
Catalysts and enzymes do not change the equilibrium of the reaction because they do not affect the relative concentrations of reactants and products at equilibrium. They only speed up the rate at which equilibrium is reached, but they do not alter the final concentrations of reactants and products.
How do catalysts and enzymes achieve this?
1. Lowering activation energy: Both catalysts and enzymes achieve their function by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed. This allows more reactant molecules to have sufficient energy to overcome the energy barrier and form the products.
2. Forming an enzyme-substrate complex: Enzymes, being proteinaceous in nature, bind to specific substrates through a process called enzyme-substrate complex formation. This binding is highly specific and relies on complementary shapes and chemical interactions between the enzyme and substrate.
3. Providing an alternative reaction pathway: Catalysts and enzymes provide an alternative reaction pathway that has a lower activation energy compared to the uncatalyzed reaction. This alternative pathway may involve the formation of intermediate complexes or the stabilization of transition states.
4. Remaining unchanged: Catalysts and enzymes are not consumed in the reaction and therefore remain unchanged chemically and quantitatively at the end of the reaction. They can be reused in subsequent reactions, which makes them highly efficient.
Conclusion:
In summary, catalysts and enzymes are similar in that they do not change the equilibrium of the reaction. They achieve this by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to proceed, providing an alternative reaction pathway, and remaining unchanged chemically and quantitatively at the end of the reaction.