## Activation energy

Arrhenius Equation: $\ln k = - \frac{E_{a}}{RT} + \ln A$

Blake_Katsev_2E
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:57 pm

### Activation energy

why would raising temperature affect k more rather than k' if the activation energy of k is higher?

AndrewM2G
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 3:00 am

### Re: Activation energy

The reaction with the higher activation energy essentially requires more ambient energy to initiate the reaction. Changing the temperature means changing the amount of ambient energy, so a rxn with a high activation energy is initiated more easily when there is ample energy (higher temp). A rxn with a lower activation energy will not change as much because it doesn't require as much energy to initiate, so the temp change is less significant.

Blake_Katsev_2E
Posts: 113
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:57 pm

### Re: Activation energy

so would that mean when the energy of products is less, raising the temperature would always lower K?

breinhardt3G
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:56 pm

### Re: Activation energy

No, it just means that an increase in temperature won't raise k as much because not as much heat is required to overcome the lower Ea.