Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Pd(s) represents palladium, which is a silver-white metal belonging to the platinum group. Palladium is widely used as a catalyst in various chemical reactions due to its ability to speed up reactions without being consumed.
A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing any permanent change itself.
Platinum Group Metals (PGMs): The platinum group metals consist of six chemically similar elements - platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), iridium (Ir), and osmium (Os). They exhibit similar properties, including their ability to act as catalysts.
In the context of catalysis, surface area refers to the total exposed area of a solid catalyst. A higher surface area allows more reactant molecules to come into contact with the catalyst, increasing the reaction rate.