Le Chatelier's Principle and catalysts
If you add a catalyst in the reversible reaction that in the equilibrium condition, so you do nothing. Its mean that the catalyst doesn't make any changing. Catalyst couldn' shift the position of equilibrium.
Do you remember what for the catalyst used as one of the factors affecting the reaction rate? The catalyst can speeds up the reaction, okay.
Now please think about the reversible reaction. There are two directions, the forward and reverse reactions. In the reversible reaction, if you add the catalyst before reaction, it will speed up the forward reaction and and immediately, the catalyst also speed up the reverse reaction till the rate reactions of both directions are the same, so there is a dynamic equilibrium. The dynamic equilibrium will be occured faster in the exist of catalyst. If you add catalyst in an equilibrium condition, it can affect the position of equilibrium.
A lot of dynamic equilibrium is very slow. This will cause of big problems in industrial processes. So the catalyst is still needed.
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