Final answer:
The activation energy is the minimum energy required for reactant molecules to collide and form a product. The Gibbs free energy of activation is a measurement of the energy changes throughout a reaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The amount of energy needed to perform a reaction is called the activation energy (Ea). It is the minimum energy required for reactant molecules to collide and form a product.
The activation energy determines the rate of a chemical reaction. If the activation energy is much larger than the average kinetic energy of the molecules, the reaction will occur slowly. If the activation energy is much smaller, the reaction will proceed rapidly.
The activation energy is not the same as the Gibbs free energy of activation (ΔG‡). The Gibbs free energy of activation is a measurement of the energy changes throughout a reaction.
It takes into account the enthalpy (AH) and entropy (AS) changes in a system. The Gibbs free energy (ΔG) determines whether a reaction is exergonic (releases energy) or endergonic (requires energy).