The uncatalyzed conversion of substance S to products U and V at 350 K reaches…
CHEMISTRY · Single correct · A Level · Chemistry · Kinetics · Kinetics
Problem
The uncatalyzed conversion of substance S to products U and V at 350 K reaches equilibrium with a composition of 15 % U and 85 % V. A catalyst is introduced that lowers the activation energies of both pathways by the same amount, and the system is again allowed to reach equilibrium at 350 K. Which of the following best describes the expected product distribution after catalysis?
(a) Approximately 85 \% U and 15 \% V, because lowering activation energies allows the less stable product to dominate under kinetic control.
(b) Equal amounts of U and V, because the catalyst accelerates both pathways equally, removing the original bias.
(c) Approximately 15 \% U and 85 \% V, because a catalyst does not alter the Gibbs free-energy difference between products.
(d) Cannot be predicted; catalysts may change the mechanism in unpredictable ways, so the final distribution is uncertain.