Difference between Catalyst, Reagent and Enzymes

Catalyst, Reagent and Enzymes are all found in any chemical reaction. When one or more reactants change into product, they may experience distinctive alterations and energy changes. The bonds in reactants split, and form new bonds that are distinctive from the original reactants. This sort of modification is called chemical reaction. In these chemical reactions we may use catalyst, enzymes or reagent for different purposes.

Catalyst

A catalyst brings down the energy barrier of a reaction, along these lines making the reaction go quicker in either course. Catalyst can be characterized as species, which increases the reaction rate, however stays unchanged. In spite of the fact that catalyst builds the speed of reaction, it doesn’t influence the equilibrium. In short catalyst is used for boosting and chemical reaction.

To learn more about reactions and processes, you may also be interested in the Difference between Catalyst, Reagent and Enzymes.

Reagent

A reagent defines as a compound or substance added to system to bring about a synthetic reaction, or inserted to test that a reaction happens or not. Reactant and reagent are mostly used interchangeably.

Enzymes

Enzymes can be defined as macromolecular catalysts. Enzymes catalyzed or speedup the biochemical reactions. Enzymes are recognized to catalyze 5,000 biochemical reactions. Most enzymes are proteins. Enzymes’ specificity originates from their specific three-dimensional arrangement.

Catalyst VS Reagent VS Enzymes

In the following article we are going to discuss the contrasts between these elements so that we can get clear understanding about them.

Aspect Catalysts Reagents Enzymes
Purpose Catalysts are the substances that are used for expansion or reduction the chemical reaction’s rate. Reagent is the substance that is used to test the reaction or to identify the absence or existence of any other substance. Enzymes are the substance i.e. proteins that are used for expansion in chemical reaction’s rate.
Types There are two sorts of catalysts that include positive catalyst and negative catalyst. The reagent is ordered into three sorts that are Free radicals, electrophiles and nucleophiles. There are two sorts of enzymes that include inhibitory and activation enzymes.
Consumption When we use catalysts in reaction it changes the rate but remain unchanged. Reagent changes the rate and also consumed in the reaction. Enzymes also affect the rate and it is also consumed in the reaction.
Nature Catalysts can be exists in two kinds as it may be organic catalyst and inorganic catalyst. Reagent exists as organic and inorganic form. Enzymes exist in organic catalyst.
Specific Catalysts are not particular and thusly wind up delivering buildups with errors. Reagents also produce residues. Enzymes are very particular creating expansive measure of good residues.
C-H Bonds In catalyst, carbon-hydrogen bonds do not exist. In reagent, carbon-hydrogen bonds usually exist. In enzymes, carbon-hydrogen bonds are present.
Examples Some examples of catalysts are vanadium oxide and Wilkinson’s catalyst. Some common reagents are ammonia, grignard reagent and bromine. Some examples of enzymes are amylase and lipase.

Understanding the Role of Catalysts, Reagents, and Enzymes in Reactions

While learning about chemical reactions, one should be familiar with the roles of catalysts, reagents, and enzymes. They all affect the rate, shape, and product of a reaction differently.

Catalysts are great speeders. They reduce the activation energy required for a reaction but they themselves don’t change in the process. Catalysts are worth more than gold in industry when applied in petroleum refining or fertilizer manufacturing.

Reagents are drugs that are incorporated to detect specifically the presence of a foreign body or to catalyze. They are destroyed during the reaction and are vital in lab diagnostics, pharmaceutical research, and material science.

Enzymes, unique biological catalysts, accelerate biochemical reactions necessary for life. Without enzymes, most biological activities would move too slowly to maintain life. Their breathtaking selectivity provides effective and specifically targeted outcomes, e.g., food digestion or DNA replication.

Knowing these differences doesn’t just make you wiser about chemistry, but it helps industries ranging from biotech to pharma innovate better products. Whether you are researching the productivity of reactions or creating new material, knowing what catalysts, reagents, and enzymes can do can aid in better choices.

For other chemistry-based differences, see the Difference between Brown Rice and White Rice, where the concept of processing and changes is also discussed in another context.