Activation Energy, Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Front

What is Activation Energy (Ea)?

Back

The minimum energy needed by the reactants to form the products.

Front

What characterizes an Endothermic Reaction?

Back

A reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings, resulting in a decrease in temperature.

Front

What characterizes an Exothermic Reaction?

Back

A reaction that releases energy to its surroundings, often in the form of heat.

Front

What is the potential energy of the reactants?

Back

The energy stored in the reactants before a chemical reaction occurs.

Front

How is Activation Energy represented in a reaction diagram?

Back

It is typically represented as the energy barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to proceed.

Front

What happens to the energy of the products in an Exothermic Reaction?

Back

The energy of the products is lower than that of the reactants.

Front

What happens to the energy of the products in an Endothermic Reaction?

Back

The energy of the products is higher than that of the reactants.

Front

What is the relationship between Activation Energy and reaction rate?

Back

Higher activation energy generally leads to a slower reaction rate.

Front

What is a catalyst?

Back

A substance that increases the rate of a reaction by lowering the activation energy.

Front

What is the difference between the forward and reverse reaction in terms of Activation Energy?

Back

The forward reaction has its own activation energy, while the reverse reaction has a different activation energy, often represented by different letters in diagrams.