In what way do catalysts affect chemical reactions?

Catalysts play a crucial role in chemical reactions by increasing the reaction rate. They achieve this by lowering the activation energy, which is the minimum energy required for reactants to transform into products. When the activation energy is lowered, more reactant molecules can successfully collide with enough energy to react, thereby increasing the number of successful reactions in a given time.

This mechanism allows the reaction to occur more quickly without the catalyst being consumed in the process. It's important to note that while catalysts speed up reactions, they do not alter the position of the equilibrium or change the products of the reaction, ensuring they merely facilitate the pathway for the existing reaction rather than creating new pathways or different end products.