(a)State three characteristics of… | Chemistry

Question 1 Report

(a)State three characteristics of a catalyst.

(b) Mention one manufacturing process in which each of the following metals is used as a catalyst:

(i) iron;

(ii) nickel;

(iii) platinum

Answer

Answer Details

(a) Three characteristics of a catalyst

It remains chemically unchanged in mass and composition at the end of the reaction.
Only a small quantity is needed to catalyse a large amount of reactants.
It is specific in action (a given catalyst speeds up a particular reaction), and it alters only the rate of the reaction, not the position of equilibrium or the products formed.

(b) A manufacturing process using each metal as catalyst

(i) Iron: the Haber process for the manufacture of ammonia.
(ii) Nickel: the hydrogenation of vegetable oils to make margarine.
(iii) Platinum: the Ostwald process for the manufacture of trioxonitrate(V) acid (oxidation of ammonia). (Platinum, as platinum-rhodium, is also used in the Contact process.)

(c) An organic catalyst

An enzyme, for example zymase (or diastase / amylase).

(a)State three characteristics of a catalyst. (b) Mention one manufacturing process in which each of the following metals is used as a catalyst: (i) iron; (...