Talk:Autocatalysis

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Read the sentence at the bottom carefully I think it's wrong molecule-x-1 -> molecule-x-2 (molecule-x-2 is the catalyst*) in my mind molecule-x-1 is the catalyst otherwise its not an autocatalyst but a mutating enzyme with high inertance and after getting the first activation energy the reaction-speed multiplies or the reaction is self-preserving until resources are depleted like a diesel motor. An autocatalyst must always be an enzyme with a trigger otherwise it would be a radical.

If the statement at the bottom is true the description auto meaning self is wrong and a new word needs to be invented for this kind of reaction and the old (autocatalyst) needs to be reasigned to enzymes or chemicals with triggering mechanisms.

please explain.

• extracted from the logically wrong statement below.

A single chemical reaction is said to have undergone autocatalysis, or be autocatalytic, if the reaction product is itself the catalyst for that reaction.

mfg

Jan Girke 19:36, 21 April 2006 (UTC) (After reading only the first sentence. Now I know the If is true. 19:45[UTC])

[edit] It's right

I don't understand your reasoning but I am sure that the definition is correct, the product is increasing the reaction rate, this happens usually with Mn(II) which catalyses many reactions involving other Manganese ions. In biochemical reactions the process is usually the opposite and the product acts as an inhibitor.Knights who say ni 01:36, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Plain English

I'm hoping I can ask for a short, plain english (reading lvl 8th grade or less?) for this.

[edit] Ice 9

Would the fictional Ice-nine phase change qualify as a notable fictional example, or would the process described not be an autocatalytic reaction? --Random832 (contribs) 23:06, 8 May 2008 (UTC)