How does Catalysis relate to the Sodium Potassium Pump?
Catalysis is a process in which a catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. The sodium potassium pump acts as an enzyme, specifically an ATPase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP to provide the energy required for the active transport of ions. The enzymatic activity of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase is an example of biological catalysis, where the pump lowers the activation energy of the reaction, thus increasing the rate at which ATP is hydrolyzed and ions are transported.
