Question

Which statement is a valid conclusion about the activation energy of the reverse reaction if the forward reaction is exothermic?

a ) The activation energy of the reverse reaction is the same as that of the forward reaction.

b) None of the listed answers are correct

c) No valid conclusion can be drawn from the information provided.

d) The activation energy of the reverse reaction is less than that of the forward reaction.

e) The activation energy of the reverse reaction is greater than that of the forward reaction.

Answer 1

e) The activation energy of the reverse reaction is greater than that of the forward reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

• Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy that is required by the reactants to start a reaction.
• An exothermic reaction is a reaction that releases heat energy to the surrounding while an endothermic reactions is a reaction that absorbs heat from the surrounding.
• In reversible reactions, when the forward reaction is exothermic it means the reverse reaction will be endothermic, therefore the reverse reaction will have a higher activation energy than the forward reaction. The activation energy of the reverse reaction will be the sum of the enthalpy and the activation energy of the forward reaction.