Reaction Profiles

[Selena_Wong_1I]

Why is it that in transition states and intermediates, the energy is higher than in reactants and products?

[Ryan Doyle 3E]

The intermediate and especially transition states are significantly less stable than the products or reactants because they often lack neutral charges or full valence shells on all their atoms. Because they are less stable, they will have more energy, which is our activation energy.

[104733470]

you can also put it this way. There are more repulsive forces during transitional states and repulsion generates more potential energy.