Science
What is A catalyst?
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself. It works by giving the reaction an easier path that needs less energy, so the same catalyst can be reused over and over.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a catalyst.
Key things to understand
- 1It accelerates a reaction but emerges unchanged at the end.
- 2It lowers the 'activation energy' the reaction needs to get going.
- 3Enzymes are biological catalysts that drive the chemistry of life.
- 4Industrial catalysts make fertilizers, fuels, and plastics efficiently.
- 5A car's catalytic converter uses metal catalysts to clean exhaust gases.
Frequently asked questions
- How does a catalyst speed up a reaction?
- It offers an alternative pathway with a lower energy barrier, so more molecules can react per second — without the catalyst being consumed.
- What is an enzyme?
- A protein that acts as a catalyst in living things, speeding up reactions like digestion at body temperature.
- Is a catalyst used up in a reaction?
- No. That's its defining trait — it helps the reaction along and is left over to do it again.