Describe the function of catalysts in altering the rate of chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
Understand that different chemical reactions require completely different catalysts, and recognize that biological enzymes serve as catalysts within living systems.
Explain how catalysts effectively increase the rate of a reaction by providing an alternative reaction pathway that requires a lower activation energy.
Identify and interpret a visual reaction profile for a catalyzed reaction that displays the lower activation energy compared to an uncatalyzed reaction.
Identify chemical catalysts in reactions based on their observable effect on the reaction rate and their absence from the overall chemical equation.
Explain the fundamental mechanism of catalytic action specifically in terms of lowering the activation energy.
