How is a catalyst like platinum different from an enzyme?
A catalyst like platinum is a non-biological substance that speeds up chemical reactions by providing an alternative pathway with lower activation energy. Enzymes, on the other hand, are biological catalysts that are specific to certain reactions and are essential for biological processes. Enzymes are made up of proteins and can be regulated by the cells that produce them, while catalysts like platinum are typically inorganic and do not have this level of specificity or regulation.