Reaction Profiles

• Reaction profiles


  Handy little diagrams
• Activation Energy


  Minimum amount of energy the reactants need to have to react when they collide with each other
• The greater the activation energy, the more energy needed to start the reaction
• This energy has to be given, e.g. by heating the reaction mixture
• Reaction profiles


  Diagrams that show the difference between the energies of the reactants and products in a reaction, and how the energy changes over the course of the reaction
• Exothermic reactions


  • Products are at a lower energy than the reactants
  • The difference in height between the reactants and the products shows the overall energy change in the reaction (the energy given out)
  • The rise in energy at the start shows the energy needed to start the reaction (the activation energy)
• Endothermic reactions


  • Products are at a higher energy than the reactants
  • The difference in height shows the overall energy change during the reaction (the energy taken in)
  • The rise in energy at the start is the activation energy
• You can also write the formulas for the reactants and products on the reaction profile instead of reactants and products