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Well that's why I said you could say it was a catalyst.  In general lay
terms a catalyst is usually refered to as something that speeds up a
reaction such as heat (or in general energy).  Now obviously energy is not a
catalyst, it does not lower the activation energy, it provides it.  But as
this is a diving forum and not a chemical engineering one I thought the term
catalyst was good enough - particularly in a discussion of OOtoms!!! :)

 At 12:09 AM 2/4/96 -0500, Carl Heinzl wrote:
>
>>You could say the light acts as a catalyst for the production of
>>energy.
>
>You could say that, but, then you'd be wrong, plain and simple.
>
>A catalyst, be definition is not changed or used up in the "net
>equation", even though it may undergo change at some intermediate
>steps, it is regenerated to yield a net change in the catalyst of
>zero, zilch, nada...  In the photosynthesis equation however, you see
>photons come in, but none go out at the end, then end up getting used
>up to move electrons up the potential barriers in the electron
>transport chain.  This is most *definitely* NOT a catalytic
>reaction...
>
>Sorry to pick nits but... I have nothing better to do while I'm
>running a backup and talking to my father in law :^)
>
>-Carl-
>
>
========================================================================
  
  David Hurt - Fisons Instruments
  Ph  913 491 2826
  Fax 913 491 2934
  E-Mail hurt@fi*.co*

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