Calorimetry - Activation Energy Flashcards
What is Activation Energy?
Energy required for a reaction to start
Both exothermic & endothermic reactions have activation energies
What does the Activation do to reactants?
Activation energy breaks bonds in reactants.
When new bonds form, energy is released
Describe relationship between energy to break bonds (activation energy) and energy released by new bonds in an exothermic reaction
Energy released from new bonds > Activation energy
Final enthalpy is lower than initial enthalpy
Should draw energy profile diagram
Describe relationship between energy to break bonds (activation energy) and energy released by new bonds in an endothermic reaction
Energy released from new bonds < Activation energy
Final enthalpy is greater than initial enthalpy
Should draw energy profile diagram
Describe the relationship between energy profile diagrams for reversible reactions
They are mirror images
What is usually the verical axis scale for energy profile diagram
It may sometimes be different
It can be energy or Enthalpy
What are multi-step reactions?
Reactions that pass through and intermediate and have two activation energies.
Describe how an energy profile diagram of multi-step reactions may differ to a single-step reaction
Will have more than one peak
