Activation Energy in Chemical Reactions

Activation Energy and Chemical Reactions

• The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to occur is known as the activation energy.
• Activation energy is the energy barrier that must be overcome for a chemical reaction to proceed.
• It plays a crucial role in chemical reactions as it determines the rate at which the reaction occurs.

Effect of Activation Energy on Reaction Rate

• If the activation energy is lowered, the rate of the chemical reaction increases.
• This is because a lower activation energy means that more molecules have enough energy to react, resulting in a faster reaction rate.

Temperature and Activation Energy

• An increase in temperature can lower the activation energy of a reaction.
• This is because higher temperatures provide more energy to the reactant molecules, making it easier for them to overcome the energy barrier and react.