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A catalyst works by providing a reaction route with a lower activation energy. An inhibitor slows a reaction and can work in several ways, for instance by tying up one of the reactants. We also use the term when we say catalyst inhibitor, which is something which binds to the active sites on a heterogeneous catalyst.

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Inhibitors slow a chemical reacion by increasing the energy of the reaction pathway and blocking the normal reaction pathway.

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12y ago
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Catalysts mostly speed up a chemical reaction.

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Q: Do catalysts speed up a chemical reaction or slow it down?
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What are catalysts that slow down a reaction?

Inhibitors can slow down a reaction by interfering with the chemical process or by reducing the activity of the catalyst. Changes in temperature or pH levels can also have an inhibitory effect on reactions by altering the conditions necessary for the reaction to occur. Additionally, the presence of impurities or contaminants can disrupt the reaction process and slow down the overall rate of reaction.


What is a substance that lowers the activation energy for a chemical reaction but is not changed or used up in the reaction?

This is called a catalyst. In biology, it is referred to as an enzyme (biological catalyst). Catalysts can also be used to speed up or slow down chemical reactions.


What role do catalysts play in chemical reactions?

A catalyst is a chemical species that alters the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing any type of change. Such catalysts that slow down a reaction are called negative catalysts or poison.


What is the name of substance that slows reaction?

The substance that slows down a chemical reaction is an inhibitor. Instead you could also call an inhibitor an anticatalyst.-anticatalyst `antee'katlist1. (chemistry) a substance that retards a chemical reaction or diminishes the activity of a catalyst


What does biological catalyst mean?

Enzymes are biological catalysts. This means they speed up a chemical reaction, but are not broken down or changed by it. They lower the amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to tack place.