Question

The rate of decomposition of potassium chlorate can be increased by using a catalyst. Give reason.

Answer 1

Thermal decomposition of potassium chlorate

• Potassium chlorate, a white solid when heated strongly first melts and then begins to boil giving off oxygen.
• It gives potassium chloride and oxygen gas as products.

Catalyst:

• A catalyst is a substance that increases the speed of a reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.
• The rate of decomposition of potassium chlorate can be increased by using a catalyst.
• In this reaction, Manganese (IV) oxide acts as a catalyst.
• This catalyst allows the decomposition to occur at a lower temperature.

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{KClO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\underset{{\mathrm{MnO}}_2}{\overset{\mathrm{heat}}{\to }}2\mathrm{KCl}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+3{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\uparrow \\ \mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{chlorate}\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{chloride}\mathrm{Oxygen} \end{gathered}$$