Question

Nitrous oxide (N2O) decomposes at 600°C according to the balanced equation

2N2O(g) → 2N2(g) + O2(g)

A reaction mechanism involving three steps is shown below. Identify all of the catalysts in the following mechanism.

Cl2(g) → 2Cl(g)

N2O(g) + Cl(g) → N2(g) + ClO(g) (occurs twice)

ClO(g) + ClO(g) → Cl2(g) + O2(g)

Answer 1

The net reaction for the decomposition of nitrous oxide

It involves the three below reaction

Since the reaction2 is occuring twice, hence the ClO produced in the reaction 2 will be consumed in the reaction 3, hence it is not a catalyst since it is getting consumed in the reaction

Similarly 2Cl produced in reaction 1 is getting consumed in twice occurence of reaction 2.

A catalyst alters the rate of the reaction without himself taking part in the reaction

Hence there is only one catalyst available for this reaction

Hence the only catalyst is Cl2