What is the typical role of catalysts in chemical reactions?

The typical role of catalysts in chemical reactions is to increase the rate of reactions without being consumed in the process. This means that catalysts facilitate the reaction by providing an alternative pathway that has a lower activation energy than the uncatalyzed reaction.

By doing this, catalysts allow the reactants to convert into products more quickly than they would without the catalyst, enabling reactions to occur at milder temperatures or under different conditions. Since they are not consumed, catalysts can participate in multiple reaction cycles, making them highly efficient for industrial and laboratory processes.

The role of reducing activation energy specifically complements this function, as it further emphasizes how catalysts make the transition state easier to achieve, contributing to their overall effectiveness in accelerating reactions.