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Chemical Kinetics

Question

From the potential energy diagram show that: ΔE = over all energy change for the forward reaction: Ea₁ – Ea₂; where Ea₁ = Activation energy for the forward process and Ea₂ = Activation energy for the reverse process?

Solution

Reaction coordinate represents the profile of energy change when reactants change into products.

E_{R} = E_{r} - E_{a_{1}} E_{P} = E_{r} - E_{a_{2}} ∆ E = E_{p} - E_{R} = (E_{r} - E_{a_{2}}) - (E_{r} - E_{a_{1}}) = E_{a_{1}} - E_{a_{2}} .