What is the primary role of a catalyst in a chemical reaction?

The primary role of a catalyst in a chemical reaction is to change the pathway of the reaction and increase the speed. Catalysts function by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy compared to the uncatalyzed reaction. This allows the reaction to occur more quickly and facilitates the transformation of reactants into products. Importantly, catalysts are not consumed in the reaction; they can be used repeatedly and do not alter the overall reaction equilibrium.

Increasing the temperature of the reaction does not describe the function of a catalyst; while temperature can influence reaction rates, the catalyst's role is specific to altering the reaction mechanism and enhancing speed without changing the system's thermal conditions. Adding more reactants is unrelated to the function of a catalyst, as this action would not inherently modify the reaction pathway. Eliminating products of the reaction is not a function of a catalyst either; catalysts assist in forming products more efficiently rather than removing them from the reaction equation.