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We were looking at the factors that affect dynamic equilibrium today. The teacher explained how catalysts only affect the rate at which dynamic equilibrium is achieved, and not its position.
My question is: will a catalyst specific to the forward reaction shift the position of equilibrium to favour the forward reaction? Or will it, still, only affect the rate?
Wikipedia says
Catalyzed reactions have a lower activation energy (rate-limiting free energy of activation) than the corresponding uncatalyzed reaction, resulting in a higher reaction rate at the same temperature and for the same reactant concentrations.
This means that a catalyst will reduce activation energy as seen here
We clearly see that the activation energy of both forward and backward reaction equally. Hence by Arrhenius equation both the rate constants change by same factor thereby there is no change in equilibrium constant.
