Question

a. What condition must be met for an activated complex to result from the collision of reactant particles? b. Where, in terms of energy, does the activated complex occur along a typical reaction pathway?

Answer 1

A. The conditions are:

I. Reactant particles must collide with the right orientation.

II. There must be effective collisions.

III. The reactant particles must possess enough energy to break old bonds so that new bonds can be formed.

B. The activated complex occurs where the maximum energy of the reaction is attained along the reaction pathway, that is, at the peak of the activation energy.