Catalyst - Discussion

[Catalyst]

A substance which promotes a chemical reaction, but does not itself enter into the reaction.

Now what I thought originally was another word for "change" as a username. Because I want to change some things, and I didn't want to have a username called "change" so I came up with Catalyst via a thesaurus.

Now what the topic really is, I would call the human body a catalyst really. But more in the sense of if you take medication for something. For instance, I'm epileptic (seizures), and I take medication for that. BUT, you still have seizures, but the medication reduces (well hopefully anyways) them from happening. But you're not actually "changing" the human body. What are your thoughts?

I know if you were to go to a biologist and mention this they'd be like "What the hell?", but again, what do you guys think?

 

[Hydra]

You are changing the human body. You're changing your insides and your nerves, so the seizures happen less often. They don't go away, but they don't happen as often, and a CHANGE has to take place for that to happen. I guess. =P

 

[Catalyst]

But do you think that makes sense? The body being a catalyst overall - whether you take medication or if you intake food / liquids / other things?

 

[Hydra]

The reactions when you take the medicine go in withdrawl, and they move around in your body, or disappear for a while. They make a change, going away and coming back, even if you can't feel or see it? But who would want to see stuff happening in your body?

Anyway, your body is full of chemicals. It's not like a mechanical reaction or anything. You're not beating j00rself up. XD!!

Back on topic, no, I don't think it makes sense. A lot of facts about our bodies don't make sense when you just look at it from the outside though. Our bodies go through a chemical change, to reduce the viruses, colds, and conditions we have for a few hours. Which is basically what a catalyst is. The pills couldn't have a chemical reaction without our insides, so our insides are surely involved.

 

[Catalyst]

So that'd be pretty much what I'm saying. Our body is a catalyst in a sense. Adding more to it only changes more.

And when I made my username, I just modified the definition, but in the sense so it stays in line.

 

[Hydra]

Basically, yes. =D

 

[Catalyst]

This seems to make sense to some but not to others...it's odd really.

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

A catalyst is a substance that can change another substance without being changed itself. In the situation that you give, neither the medication nor the human body are catalysts. The human body is automatically disqualified as it's the entity undergoing change; it's not changing anything itself. The medication isn't a catalyst either, since it's absorbed (ie changed) in the reaction that changes the human body.

 

[Catalyst]

A catalyst is a substance that can change another substance without being changed itself. In the situation that you give, neither the medication nor the human body are catalysts. The human body is automatically disqualified as it's the entity undergoing change; it's not changing anything itself. The medication isn't a catalyst either, since it's absorbed (ie changed) in the reaction that changes the human body.

Could you give an example - preferably non-scientific?

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

I can't really think of many non-scientific examples for a catalyst, simply because catalysts are almost exclusively applied scientifically. Catalysts are generally used to make chemicals react faster.

 

[jedi geoff]

the human body doesnt change things around it without changing itself.
everything it does comes back to affect it in some way.....

 

[Catalyst]

This is what I put in the "Reason for picking username thread":

Catalyst - I decided to change my ways in a lot of things. Both with school, the internet, and so on. I was looking for a synonym for "change", and catalyst came up. I know it's a chemical-related term, but it's basically when a bunch of stuff mixes a reaction happens (or something similar to that), so that is exactly what has happened - a bunch of things happened, so I decided to use this. It's kind of catchy / unusual, at least in my opinion.

 

[ThroneofDravaris]

You may want to cut the second last sentence. It makes it entirely obvious that you don't really have more than a vague understanding of what a catalyst is.

 

[Catalyst]

Now I understand what you mean. So basically I misunderstood the term, and "completely changed it" and put a new definition?

 

[Phoenix Flame]

...or something to that affect.

A catalyst is an agent that brings about change... usually, people use in when talking about chemical reactions. The only non-chemical one I can think of is in a hypothetical example: The war protester's speech was a catalyst in forming the anarchy movement - especially since the citizens negatively viewed how the government was handling the situation in Iraq.

...well?

 

[Catalyst]

Yeah I see what it means, I guess it was just a misunderstanding. Sounds cool though anyways.

 

[Slider]

In chemistry, a catalyst is an accelerating agent for a chemical reaction; the catalyst's properties may change physically but chemically they remain the same and its abscence doesn't affect the original reaction chemically, only its speed ;old