How Do Catalysts Affect the Rate-Determining Step?
The rate-determining step (RDS) is the slowest step in a multistep reaction that controls the overall reaction rate. Catalysts work by lowering the activation energy of the RDS, thus speeding up the entire reaction. For instance, in the oxidation of carbon monoxide on platinum surfaces, the dissociation of oxygen molecules is often the RDS, which is facilitated by the catalyst.
