Question

If an exothermic reaction is not thermodynamically spontaneous, it might be made to occur by:

A) Adding a catalyst

B) coupling it with a spontaneous reaction

C) heating the system

D) all of these

Answer 1

Answer to this question is (A).

As we know that the exothermic reactions are non-spontaneous when it kinetic barrier is high. To reduce the kinetic barrier, we have to reduce the activation barrier and catalyst are the one which reduce the activation barrier without participating in the reaction.

Second option is wrong as if we couple to exothermic reaction will lead to side products.

And Third option is also wrong, as we increase the temperature the exothermic reaction will move to the backward direction that mean reactant side.