Providing exapmples of how catalysts play a role in many important chemical and biochemical processes eg: enzymes in cell processes, catalysts in reducing air pollution:confused:

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Originally Posted by log23

Providing exapmples of how catalysts play a role in many important chemical and biochemical processes eg: enzymes in cell processes, catalysts in reducing air pollution:confused:

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Enzymes are chemicals that break other chemicals down. In your saliva there is an enzyme (salivary amylase) that breaks up starches into simpler sugars. - hint : most enzymes are named by adding -ase to the chemicals on which they react: proteinases break up proteins. There are a few that were named before that convention was adopted, like trypsin and pepsin.

Catalysts are chemicals that speed up or promote a chemcal reaction. The catalytic converter in your car uses platinum beads to convert carbon monoxide into a less harmful carbon dioxide, platinum remaining unchanged in the process. (carbon MONOxide eats ozone = bad; Carbon DIOxide is what plants breathe in = good)

BTW, the reason why you need to use UNLEADED gasoline with a catylitic converter is that the lead coats the beads and they can no longer contact the carbon monoxide to work their magic.

Hope this helps!:)

Thanks for the positive remark - I don't think I made it clear, though, that enzymes are a special type of catalyst that occur in living organisms to regulate and promote chemical reactions there.

I feel that I must remind you that, although I did give you the answer to this question the other day, I imagine that there will soon be a test on this matter. And I probably won't be available to you on test day. You will be responsible for knowing this stuff by yourself. I'll gladly help you with any misunderstandings you have until then, but my best reccommendation is to first go to your textbook and then go to your school library's (or if you have one on cd-rom is OK, too) encyclopedia and look up anything about that question or the response I gave you until you understand it thoroughly.
I have no problem with you, or helping you (I hope to have the opportunity to do so in the future), it's just that while I helped you for your homework, I can't help you on test day

See you soon,
Fianchetto