Catalyzed Mechanism

Definition

A catalyzed mechanism is a chemical reaction that is sped up by the presence of a catalyst, which lowers the activation energy needed for the reaction to occur.

Related terms

Catalyst:

An agent that speeds up reactions but remains unchanged itself. In our analogy, it's like your friend or rubber jar opener.

Rate of Reaction:

How quickly or slowly reactants turn into products. With help from your friend or tool, you can open jars at a faster rate!

Intermediate:

A substance formed during middle stages of a chemical reaction which further reacts to form final product – it's like loosening the lid bit by bit until it finally comes off!