Do Catalysts Affect the Thermodynamic Properties of a Reaction?
Catalysts do not alter the thermodynamic properties, such as the enthalpy (ΔH) and entropy (ΔS), of a reaction. These properties are intrinsic to the reactants and products. What catalysts do is provide a pathway with a different mechanism that has a lower activation energy, thereby increasing the rate at which the reaction approaches its thermodynamically favored equilibrium state.
