What is the difference between a catalyst and an oxidizing agent?
A catalyst alters the rate of a reaction without being used up in the reaction. An oxidising agent oxidises other compounds, the agent itself being reduced in the process.
a catalyst DOES NOT take part in the reaction. it merely speeds it up. Without a catalyst, the reaction would still occur, just slower. However, reactions with oxidizing agents CANNOT and WILL NOW take place without them. They gain electrons and are also considered the thing that is reduced. At the end of the reaction, they have been altered in some way, unlike catalysts.
A catalyst is a substance that increases a chemical reaction rate without being consumed in the reaction. Heat is probably the most common catalyst. In some cases the reaction will occur without the catalyst but very slowly. In other cases, the reaction will not occur. In the body, enzymes are often catalysts. An oxidizing agent, causes a compound to lose electrons and it is then said that that compound was oxidized. The oxidizing agent gains electrons and is said to be reduced. An example is hydrochloric acid. Is is oxidized by oxygen gas and loses hydrogen atoms leaving chlorine gas. The oxygen gains hydrogen atoms and forms water. The hydrochloric acid is oxidized and the oxygen is reduced.
