ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)General Science (GS)Hard
A chemist is attempting to synthesize a new compound. She needs to increase the rate of reaction without being consumed in the process. Which of the following would be the most appropriate addition to her reaction mixture?
- AA catalyst
- BAn inhibitor
- CA solvent
- DA reactant
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. A catalyst
A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the reaction itself. Inhibitors decrease reaction rates, reactants are consumed, and solvents dissolve reactants but don't directly change the reaction rate in this manner.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. An inhibitor slows down or stops a reaction, contrary to the goal.
- C. A solvent dissolves other substances but does not inherently increase reaction rate without being consumed.
- D. A reactant is a starting material that is consumed during the reaction.
Catalyst
A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.
- Lowers the activation energy of a reaction.
- Can be recovered chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.
- Enzymes are biological catalysts.
Memory trick: Catalyst speeds, Inhibitor slows, Reactant feeds, Solvent flows.