Activation energy and energy profile
Reacting particles must collide with at least a minimum energy (activation energy) to break bonds and react; an energy profile plots potential energy against reaction progress, with a hump for activation energy and the reactant/product levels showing the net energy change.
The idea, in English
Reacting particles must collide with at least a minimum energy (activation energy) to break bonds and react; an energy profile plots potential energy against reaction progress, with a hump for activation energy and the reactant/product levels showing the net energy change. Formally taught in Ch.3 (Chemical Equilibrium) of the same book, after this chapter, so students meet it here first.
Explain in Egyptian Arabic
الجزيئات اللي هتتفاعل لازم تتصادم بـ energy مش أقل من حد أدنى (الـ activation energy) عشان الـ bonds تتكسر ويحصل reaction. والـ energy profile بيرسم الـ potential energy قصاد الـ progress of reaction: فيه حدبة بتمثل الـ activation energy، ومستوى الـ reactants والـ products بيوضح التغيير الصافي في الـ energy. الموضوع ده بيتدرس رسمي في الفصل التالت (Chemical Equilibrium) من نفس الكتاب، بعد الفصل ده، فالطالب بيقابله هنا الأول.
Common misconceptions
- Activation energy is the energy released by the reaction.
No. The energy released by the reaction is the net drop from the reactants' level to the products' level. Activation energy is the climb from the reactants up to the top of the hump: the minimum energy colliding particles need in order to react.
Explain in Egyptian Arabic
لأ، الـ energy اللي الـ reaction بيطلّعها دي الـ net energy released: النزلة من الـ reactants للـ products. إنما الـ activation energy هي الطلعة من الـ reactants لفوق لحد قمة الحدبة، يعني أقل energy لازم الجزيء يكسبها عشان يتفاعل وقت التصادم.