Lesson 9.1.2

9.1.2 Catalysts and reaction profiles Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Chemistry, Unit 9

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 9.1.2, Catalysts and reaction profiles: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Chemistry (9CH0), Unit 9: Kinetics I, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How does a catalyst increase the rate of a chemical reaction?

    • Decreases surface area
    • Increases enthalpy change
    • Increases kinetic energy
    • Lowers activation energy

  2. Compared to an uncatalysed reaction, what feature on a reaction profile is lower?

    • Enthalpy change
    • Product energy level
    • Peak height
    • Reactant energy level

  3. What property remains unchanged when a catalyst is added to a reaction?

    • Pathway energy barrier
    • Activation energy
    • Enthalpy change
    • Reaction rate

  4. What process occurs when gas molecules bind to the surface of a solid catalyst?

    • Absorption
    • Adsorption
    • Dissolution
    • Desorption

  5. What term describes a catalyst that is in the same physical state as reactants?

    • Heterogeneous catalyst
    • Homogeneous catalyst
    • Autocatalyst
    • Biological catalyst

  6. What effect does a catalyst have on the shape of a Maxwell-Boltzmann curve?

    • Increases peak height
    • No effect
    • Shifts curve right
    • Expands total area

  7. What type of catalyst is solid nickel in the hydrogenation of gaseous alkenes?

    • Biological catalyst
    • Enzyme catalyst
    • Homogeneous catalyst
    • Heterogeneous catalyst

  8. If activation energy drops from 80 kJ mol-1 to 50 kJ mol-1, what is the decrease?

    • 130 kJ mol-1
    • 80 kJ mol-1
    • 50 kJ mol-1
    • 30 kJ mol-1

  9. On a reaction profile diagram, activation energy is measured from reactants to which point?

    • Product level
    • Diagram baseline
    • Profile peak
    • Enthalpy line

  10. How does a catalyst increase reaction rate in terms of particle collisions?

    • Greater particle energy
    • Fewer total collisions
    • More successful collisions
    • Higher collision frequency

  11. Why is a powdered solid catalyst more effective than a single large lump?

    • Larger surface area
    • Lower activation energy
    • Greater mass
    • Higher thermal conductivity

  12. What do homogeneous catalysts typically form during a reaction mechanism?

    • Transition states only
    • Precipitates
    • Intermediate species
    • Gaseous products

  13. What is the main economic advantage of using a catalyst in industrial processes?

    • Lower energy costs
    • Zero waste production
    • Higher product yields
    • Cheaper raw materials

  14. In an exothermic reaction profile, where are the products relative to the reactants?

    • Same energy level
    • Lower energy level
    • Zero energy level
    • Higher energy level

  15. Why does a catalyst remain chemically unchanged at the end of a reaction?

    • It is unreactive
    • It dissolves completely
    • It is regenerated
    • It stays bonded

  16. What process occurs when reactant molecules bind to a heterogeneous catalyst surface?

    • Desorption
    • Dissolution
    • Adsorption
    • Absorption

  17. Why does a high activation energy result in a slower reaction rate?

    • Higher reactant stability
    • Fewer successful collisions
    • More frequent collisions
    • Lower kinetic energy

  18. How does a catalyst alter the reaction profile for a chemical reaction?

    • Increases activation energy
    • Increases reactant energy
    • Lowers activation energy
    • Lowers product energy

  19. How do enzymes affect the activation energy of biochemical reactions?

    • They remove it
    • They lower it
    • They double it
    • They increase it

  20. A reaction profile for an uncatalysed reaction starts with reactants at 0 kJ mol-1, has products at -40 kJ mol-1 and a peak at +60 kJ mol-1. What is the activation energy?

    • 60 kJ mol-1
    • 20 kJ mol-1
    • 40 kJ mol-1
    • 100 kJ mol-1

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