Which statement is true regarding a catalyst? A). A catalyst increases the activation energy for a chemical reaction.
b). A catalyst decreases the difference in energy for a chemical reaction.
c). A catalyst allows the reactants to start at a higher energy level.
d). A catalyst lowers the activation energy for a chemical reaction.

d). A catalyst lowers the activation energy for a chemical reaction.

Explanation:

From the given choices, it is true that a catalyst lowers the activation energy for a chemical reaction.

The activation energy is the energy barrier that must be overcome before a chemical reaction can occur.

Some reactions have very high activation energy and would not occur without the introduction of a catalyst.

The catalyst brings the reactants into contact by removing the energy deficiency in the system.

explanation:

metals have excess of electrons whereas non-metals have deficiency of electrons. thus, in order to gain stability metals easily donate their electrons to the non-metals.

for example, electronic configuration of sodium is and electronic configuration of phosphorous is .

when a phosphorous atom and sodium atom combine together then sodium will donate is extra one electron to the phosphorous atom. as a result there will be formation of ionic bond between sodium and phosphorous.

the reaction will be as follows.

there, are three sodium sodium atoms and each of them will donate its one extra electron to phosphorous atom. thus, the sub-shell of phosphorous gets completely filled.  

thus, we can conclude that electrons are transferred from atoms of sodium to atoms of phosphorous. this transfer makes the sodium atoms donate one electron and the phosphorous atoms to gain one electron. as a result, the sodium and phosphorus atoms strongly attract each other.