Le catalyseur
Example: Le catalyseur a accéléré la réaction chimique dans le laboratoire.
Definition
"Le catalyseur" is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. It facilitates the transformation of reactants into products more efficiently, as in the example of accelerating a chemical reaction in a laboratory.
Etymology
The word "le catalyseur" comes from the French adaptation of the Greek roots 'kata-' meaning 'down' or 'against' and 'lysis' meaning 'loosening' or 'breaking down.' It was introduced in the 19th century to describe agents that promote chemical reactions without being consumed. Did you know that the concept was first studied in the context of plant enzymes before extending to broader chemistry?
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"Le catalyseur" appears in the Vocaplus list "French - General - (C2) - set 1", containing 95 commonly used words.
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