<P> Catalysis (/ kəˈtælɪsɪs /) is the increase in the rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of an additional substance called a catalyst (/ ˈkætəlɪst /), which is not consumed in the catalyzed reaction and can continue to act repeatedly . Often only tiny amounts of catalyst are required in principle . </P> <P> In general, reactions occur faster with a catalyst because they require less activation energy . In catalyzed mechanisms, the catalyst usually reacts to form a temporary intermediate which then regenerates the original catalyst in a cyclic process . </P>

What role does a catalyst play in a chemical reaction
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