Before the 1950s, Arizona’s intense desert heat deterred people from moving to the “Valley of the Sun.” But that changed with the widespread adoption of residential and commercial air conditioning. The invention CATALYZED or created a change that made living in Arizona feasible. As a result, Arizona and other Sunbelt states experienced a massive influx of people that changed America’s cultural and political landscape.
Don’t confuse CATALYST and CATALYZING. Both words describe forces that cause or accelerate changes. For example, during the 2010s, the price of collectible rare lego sets rose dramatically, which had the counterintuitive effect of CATALYZING or causing an increase in demand.
CATALYST – a agent that causes or accelerates change