How does a catalyst affect collision theory?

1 Answer
May 12, 2016

The catalyst does not affect the rate of collision since it does not change the kinetic energy (KE) of particles.

Explanation:

A catalyst by definition is a substance which is not a reactant nor a product that increases the rate of the reaction by lowering its activation energy (see graph below).
enter image source here
Image source: http://www.silicones.eu/science-research/adjuvants-and-auxiliaries/catalysts

uncatalyzed reaction
catalyzed reaction

Note that the catalyst does not affect the rate of collision since it does not change the kinetic energy (KE) of particles.

KE=32RT

The kinetic energy depends only on temperature, and catalyst does not change the temperature of a reaction.

Chemical Kinetics | A Model for Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis.