How do catalysts change the rate of reactions without being involved in the reaction?
It is wrong to assume that catalysts are not involved in the reaction. Catalysts interact with the other reactants and are consumed in the sub-reactions, but are eventually re-established so that the amount of catalyst before and after the entire reaction remains unchanged. Try to imagine: A + B + C –> AB + C where C is the catalyst. A sub-reaction such as: A + C –> AC occurs, after which AC + B –> AB + C occurs, and the catalyst is re-established. This happens very quickly. The direct reaction A + B –> AB may have a tediously slow reaction rate. The addition of catalyst C increases the reaction rate since each of the sub-reactions A + C –> AC AC + B –> AB + C have very fast reaction rates.
