Why copper sulphate is a catalyst in this reaction Recently, we learnt about catalyst is a substance can increase the rate of reaction without any without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.The experiment we did was the reaction between zinc and hydrochloric acid as the equation below

$$\ce{Zn + 2HCl -&gt; ZnCl_2 + H_2}$$

However the thing I don't understand is why copper sulphate is a catalyst when the copper ion is reduced to copper atom as the equation below

$$\ce{Cu^2+ + Zn -&gt; Cu + Zn^2+}$$

I mean how could it call as a catalyst when it is reduced from ion to atom
The reaction rate increases because the copper is deposited on particles of zinc, creating a galvanic couple causing galvanic (aka electrolytic) corrosion. [It could be argued that this is not catalysis, because the copper sulfate is entering into a reaction.]