CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Reaction kinetics
A catalytic converter in a car exhaust speeds up the conversion of carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide into carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The reaction is slow at the temperatures of the exhaust gases, but becomes fast when the converter is present.
Describe how a catalyst speeds up a reaction, in terms of activation energy and the Boltzmann distribution.
7 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 7 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.
Describe means: Say what happens or what something is like, in order and with detail. You are not being asked why. If there is data, quote it: name the trend, then give figures with units at the points where it changes.
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