Question

How do catalysts work (if there isn't an overarching rule, how does the most commonly used group work)?

Answer 1

catalyst just increases the rate of reaction by decreasing the activation energy needed to form product by taking reaction in other route !!!
i can say without catalyst you are traveling in non shot cut road while using catalyst u travel in a shortcut road!!!!

Answer 2

Catalyst speeds up reactions by providing 'alternative' route for reactants to turn products, the activation energy for this new pathway is often less than the activation energy of the normal pathway, catalyst Only speeds up reactions, it doesn't give more yield.

In a chemical reaction, the bonds holding the reactants together must first be broken before the reaction can begin.

Breaking bonds requires energy, and the energy needed to start a reaction is referred to as the activation energy. Ea

Catalyst lowers activation energy by intermediate products and free radicals in ozone and oxygen reactions for example

Answer 3

i don't know how all the catalysts work.But i know how some do.The catalysts like the ones in hydrogenation reaction bring the reactants together by adsorbing them.Therefore the concentration of the reactants increase at the surface and the rate increases.

Answer 4

How do these free radicals and intermediate products work?

Answer 5

for that you have to see mechanism based on product you obtained!!!
mechanism will tell you everything!!!