Which of the following best describes an impact that increases the rate of a chemical reaction?

An accelerator is a substance or factor that increases the rate of a chemical reaction. This can occur through various mechanisms, such as reducing the activation energy required for the reaction to occur or providing an alternative pathway for the reaction to proceed more quickly.

In the context of chemical reactions, accelerators often include catalysts, which are substances that increase the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process. They are crucial in many industrial and biological processes where rapid reaction rates are necessary.

The other options, such as deactivators, change agents, and modifiers, do not specifically refer to factors that increase reaction rates. A deactivator typically slows down reactions, while a change agent might refer to components affecting various aspects of a process, and a modifier often alters the properties of a reaction but doesn’t necessarily speed it up. Therefore, the choice of accelerator is the most precise term to describe what increases the rate of a chemical reaction.