autokatalyyttisestä

Autokatalyyttinen refers to a process where a reaction product acts as a catalyst for the same reaction. In simpler terms, a substance that is produced during a chemical reaction also speeds up that same reaction. This creates a feedback loop where the more product is formed, the faster the reaction proceeds. This phenomenon is known as autocatalysis.

Autocatalytic reactions are often characterized by an initial slow phase, followed by a period of rapid acceleration as the product concentration increases. Eventually, the reaction rate may slow down again as reactants are consumed or other factors become limiting. These reactions can be observed in various fields, including chemistry, biology, and even economics, though the term is most strictly defined in chemical kinetics.

A classic example of an autokatalyyttinen reaction is the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, a type of oscillating chemical reaction. In this system, intermediate products of the oxidation of malonic acid by bromate in an acidic solution act as catalysts for their own production. This leads to observable oscillations in the concentrations of the reacting species, often visualized as colorful patterns. Autocatalysis plays a role in many biological processes, such as enzyme-catalyzed reactions where the enzyme itself is a product or regulator of the pathway.