Catalysts and Chemical Equilibrium

These flashcards cover key concepts related to catalysts, chemical equilibrium, and the behavior of reactions as discussed in the lecture.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.

Homogeneous Catalyst

A catalyst that is in the same phase as the reactants, usually in a gas or liquid.

Heterogeneous Catalyst

A catalyst that is in a different phase than the reactants, often a solid.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy that reactants must possess for a reaction to occur.

Equilibrium

The state in which the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time, as the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.

Equilibrium Constant (K_eq)

A numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium.

Le Chatelier's Principle

A principle stating that if a system at equilibrium is disturbed, it will shift in a direction that counteracts the disturbance.

Rate Law

An equation that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentration of its reactants.

Elementary Process

A single step in a reaction mechanism that describes how a particular reaction occurs.

Molarity (M)

A measure of the concentration of a solute in a solution, expressed in moles of solute per liter of solution.

Kc

The equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the concentrations of reactants and products.

Kp

The equilibrium constant expressed in terms of the partial pressures of reactants and products.

Delta n

The change in the number of moles of gaseous reactants and products.

Lock and Key Model

A model describing how enzymes bind substrates in a specific orientation based on their shape.

Catalytic Converter

A device in vehicles that uses catalysts to convert harmful gases from the engine into less harmful emissions.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up biochemical reactions in living organisms.