A doctoral student is studying the genetic makeup of a species of jellyfish that occurs at low, middle, and high latitude regions of the Pacific Ocean. On an oceanographic expedition, she collects specimens of the jellyfish throughout its range. Upon returning to the laboratory at the university, an assistant places all of the jellyfish in an aquarium with an average oceanic salinity (35 practical salinity unit [psu]). After a few days, she notes that almost two-thirds of the jellyfish have died. Using the figure below, how would you explain which jellyfish likely make up the bulk of the survivors and what the mistake was?

the correct answer is 2 and 4

it provides an alternative energy pathway for the reaction to proceed.

a catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction but is not consumed during the course of the reaction.

catalysts increase the rate of reaction without being used up. they do this by lowering the activation energy needed. with a catalyst, more collisions result in a reaction, so the rate of reaction increases. different reactions need different catalysts.

a catalyst works by providing an alternative reaction pathway to the reaction product. the rate of the reaction is increased as this alternative route has a lower activation energy than the reaction route not mediated by the catalyst.