Activation Energy

[Daniela Contreras 3E]

So this might go back a couple of lessons but if on a Gibbs graph the products are lower than the reactants BUT there is a large activation energy what does this mean ?

[Aleck Sun 1J]

Based on the graph, I think it means that you need a lot of free energy added to the reactants to get the reaction started, but once it reaches the peak of the graph (achieves activation energy), it releases a lot of energy, more than what it started out with in the first place (to get the products' free energy below the reactants). This indicates that it is an exergonic reaction.

[005384106]

Alternatively, when the products are at a higher point than the reactants then it is an exergonic reaction, but a large activation energy will mean that the reaction might be slower because the reaction requires more energy for the reaction to take place.

[AlyshaP_2B]

Activation energy is the amount of energy needed for a specific reaction to occur. When energy input is needed, the reaction is endergonic, and when energy is released, the reaction is exergonic.

[Kallista McCarty 1C]

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy needed for a reaction to take place

[Micah3J]

How exactly does a catalyst lower the activation energy of a reaction?

[Brooke Yasuda 2J]

A catalyst weakens the bonds of the species, ensuring that less energy is required to obtain the necessary activation barrier energy. This is how the reaction rates of the forward and reverse reactions are increased.

[vibha gurunathan 1h]

Catalysts create an alternate pathway - they speed up reactions by lowering Ea.

[Kathryn Heinemeier 3H]

a catalyst essentially lowers the activation energy by position molecules so that forms more successful collisions so it'll require less energy to produce the product

[Miracle Ogbonnaya 3B]

Catalysts speed up the reaction so that less total energy is required.