Suppose that a catalyst lowers the activation barrier of a reaction from 127 kJ/mol to 51 kJ/mol . By what factor would you expect the reaction rate to increase at 25 ∘C? (Assume that the frequency factors for the catalyzed and uncatalyzed reactions are identical.)

11.44 A possible reaction for the degradation of the pesticide DDT to a less harmful compound was simulated in the laboratory. The reaction was found to be first order, with k = 4.0 X 10_H s"' at 25°C. What is the half-life for the degradation of DDT in this experiment, in years?

Why does a catalyst increase the rate of a reaction? What is the difference between a homogeneous catalyst and a heterogeneous catalyst? Would a given reaction necessarily have the same rate law for both a catalyzed and an uncatalyzed pathway? Explain.

The decomposition of NH3 to N2 and H2 was studied on two surfaces: Surface Ea (kJ/mol) W 163 Os 197 Without a catalyst, the activation energy is 335 kJ/mol. a. Which surface is the better heterogeneous catalyst for the decomposition of NH3? Why? b. How many times faster is the reaction at 298 K on the W surface compared with the reaction with no catalyst present? Assume that the frequency factor A is the same for each reaction. c. The decomposition reaction on the two surfaces obeys a rate law of the form Rate=k[NH3][H2] How can you explain the inverse dependence of the rate on the H2 concentration?