Chemistry – Chemical reactions - Reversible reactions and equilibrium | e-Consult

The iron catalyst plays a crucial role in the Haber process by lowering the activation energy of the reaction. The reaction between nitrogen and hydrogen is very slow at room temperature without a catalyst. The iron catalyst provides an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This means that a greater proportion of the reactant molecules have sufficient energy to overcome the activation energy barrier and react. Therefore, the catalyst significantly increases the rate of the reaction, allowing the Haber process to proceed at a practical rate under the required conditions (450°C and high pressure). The catalyst is not consumed in the reaction; it simply speeds up the rate at which the reactants form products.