Describing a process where the product of a reaction acts as a catalyst, accelerating its own formation. This creates a positive feedback loop, leading to exponential growth or self-amplification of the process. The reaction speeds up as more product is created, making the process self-sustaining and often leading to a rapid acceleration in the rate of reaction, potentially culminating in a dramatic endpoint. This is often observed in chemical reactions, biological processes, and even social or economic systems where initial effects trigger further similar effects. The term highlights the self-reinforcing nature of the phenomenon, with the products of the reaction driving the acceleration.
Autocatalytic meaning with examples
- In the formation of a prion, the misfolded protein acts as a template to convert other correctly folded proteins into the misfolded form. This is an autocatalytic process, because the misfolded protein then speeds up the conversion of its properly folded counterpart. As more misfolded protein accumulates, the rate of conversion dramatically accelerates, leading to the rapid propagation of the disease within a tissue, ultimately producing catastrophic effects.
- The self-replication of RNA molecules in early Earth environments is believed to have been autocatalytic. Once a molecule could catalyze its own replication, the process would have sped up exponentially. The first self-replicating molecules drove its own production, leading to a rapid increase in the population of such molecules, facilitating further evolutionary developments and driving the diversification of life as we know it.
- A small initial investment in a new technology or product can trigger an autocatalytic process, if the product has a viral spread quality to it. Early adopters tell others and use the products, generating demand and increasing the revenue, which funds further development and marketing efforts, further accelerating the product’s growth. This cycle results in exponential market penetration, which often results in its own demise through market saturation.
- In certain economic scenarios, a decrease in interest rates can initiate an autocatalytic expansion. Lower rates make borrowing cheaper, encouraging investment and spending. This, in turn, leads to higher demand, boosting production and employment. Increased income then further fuels demand, driving the economy into a self-sustaining cycle of growth, until it becomes unsustainably large, resulting in a financial market collapse or a burst bubble.