Microscopic events often mimic macroscopic events. Such is the case when understanding catalysts. Catalysts act by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur. To demonstrate the role of a catalyst, let us consider an analogy of "The First Kiss". There is a boy and a girl at a dance that all their friends know would make a perfect couple. However, as the night goes on, the two are first separated at opposite sides of the room, not even noticing one another. A little later, both happen to be moving about the room when they accidentally back into one another, then go their separate ways again. At another point in the evening, one goes out to the parking lot for some fresh air.
If you were their friend, what would you do to act as a catalyst to improve their chances of reacting; that is, having that first kiss? How would your actions be like a chemical catalyst?