Effect of a Catalyst on Equilibrium

The effect of a catalyst on equilibrium

If a catalyst is added to a reaction, both the forward and reverse reaction rates will be increased. If both rates are increased then the concentrations of the reactants and products will remain the same. This means that a catalyst has no effect on the equilibrium position.

However, a catalyst will affect how quickly equilibrium is reached. This is very important in industry where the longer a process takes, the more money it costs. So if a catalyst reduces the amount of time it takes to form specific products, it also reduces the cost of production.