Which statement best describes how a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction?
(1) the catalyst provides an alternate reaction pathway with a higher activation energy.
(2) the catalyst provides an alternate reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.
(3) the catalyst provides the same reaction pathway with a higher activation energy.
(4) the catalyst provides the same reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.

1. they vary with a higher number because boiling is way hotter than melting

hydrocarbons are organic compounds that contain only hydrogens and carbons. they can be saturated (those which contain only carbon-carbon single bonds) or unsaturated (those which contain carbon-carbon double or triple bonds) in nature. hydrocarbons can undergo several reactions like substitution, elimination etc.  

on substituting one or more hydrogen atoms in hydrocarbon it results in the formation of haloalkane. as the halogen atoms are large compared to the carbon and hydrogen atoms, due to which the molecular weight increases and the bond become polar because of presence electronegative halogen atom and results in the increase in boiling point of the haloalkane.

thus, the correct option is (b) that is the boiling point of the new compound increases on substituting a hydrogen atom with a halogen in a hydrocarbon.