How does a catalyst influence a chemical reaction. A. It speeds up or slows down a chemical reaction by direct participation.

B. it reacts with products to increase the concentration of reactants.

C. It provides an alternative energy pathway for the reaction to proceed.

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

D. It increases the total amount of product formed.

C.It provides an alternative energy pathway for the reaction to proceed.

Explanation:

Activation energy is the extra energy that must be supplied to reactants in order to cross the energy barrier and thus convert to products.

A catalyst is a substance which increases the rate of a reaction by taking the reaction through a different path which involves lower activation energy and thus more molecules can cross the energy barrier and more molecules convert to products.

Thus catalyst speeds up the reaction and does not increase the total amount of product formed.

The catalyst itself does not take part in the chemical reaction and is regenerated as such at the end.