BRAINCAKEMaxwell-Boltzmann Distribution and Activation Energy
For a chemical reaction to occur, the bonds within the reactants must be broken and new bonds must be formed between the atoms to make the products.
The energy required to break the bonds is called the Activation energy Ea. It is the minimum energy required for the reaction to take place.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Exothermic
- Describes a reaction in which energy is transferred from the system to the surroundings, so the enthalpy change is negative.
- Activation energy
- The minimum energy required for a reaction to take place.
More in Kinetics
- Activation Energy
- Exothermic Reactions
- Endothermic Reactions
- Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution
- The Effect of Temperature on Reaction Rate
- Catalysts
- Catalytic Converters
- Exam Style Question - 1
All 14 lessons in Kinetics · All AQA AS-level Chemistry topics