Question

What definition best describes the term activation energy?

Answer 1

Activation energy is the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur, representing the energy barrier that reacting particles must overcome. It is illustrated in a potential energy diagram as the height of the hill between reactants and products.

Step-by-step explanation:

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required for a reaction to occur. It represents the energy barrier or threshold that reacting particles must overcome in order to transform reactants into products. The activation energy is illustrated in a potential energy diagram as the height of the hill between the reactants and products. Reacting particles must possess enough energy to overcome this barrier through collisions.

Answer 2

Activation energy is the minimum energy required for the formation of an activated complex in a chemical reaction and is represented by the height of the energy barrier between reactants and products.

Step-by-step explanation:

The term activation energy is best defined as the minimum amount of energy required for the formation of an activated complex in a chemical reaction. It is often represented as the energy needed to form one mole of the activated complex.

In a potential energy diagram, the activation energy is depicted as the height of the hill between the reactants and the products. This barrier must be overcome by reacting particles during a collision to enable the reaction to occur.

For example, when a child needs a push to start going down a playground slide, this push represents the activation energy. Once the child starts moving, she continues without needing another push. Activation energy is like the initial push needed to initiate a chemical reaction.