Catalysts lower activation energy for faster reactions

Steps:

• Statement 1 is false: Catalysts do not increase reactant particle energy or speed; they alter the reaction pathway.
• Statement 2 is true: Catalysts reduce the activation energy (Ea) required for the reaction.
• Statement 3 is true: Lower Ea allows more collisions to exceed the energy threshold for reaction.
• Therefore, only statements 2 and 3 correctly describe catalyst effects, selecting option C.

Why C is correct:

• Catalysts decrease Ea, increasing the rate constant k in the Arrhenius equation (k = A e^(-Ea/RT)), enabling more reactant collisions to succeed without heating particles.

Why the others are wrong:

• A includes false statement 1.
• B includes false statement 1 and omits true statement 2.
• D omits true statement 2.

Final answer: C