Final answer:
The process where existing bonds break and new ones form during the conversion of reactants to products is a chemical reaction, which requires activation energy to initiate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process in which existing bonds in reactants are broken and new bonds are formed to create products is known as a chemical reaction. This process requires an initial input of energy, called activation energy, to get started. This activation energy provides the energy for reactant particles to collide with sufficient force and precision, allowing the existing bonds to break.
Kinetic energy, which is the energy of motion, helps increase the frequency of vibrations within these bonds, making them more likely to break when the particles collide during the chemical reaction.