Explain that the curved line on a reaction profile shows how energy changes as the reaction proceeds.

In the subtopic Reaction profiles, this learning objective focuses on explain that the curved line on a reaction profile shows how energy changes as the reaction proceeds. It belongs to Exothermic and endothermic reactions in AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.5 Energy changes, so the explanation must stay inside energy-transfer, reaction-profile, cell, fuel-cell, exothermic, endothermic, activation-energy or bond-energy context as appropriate. Approved keywords to use include reaction profile, curved line. Reaction profile. means a graph showing the energy of reacting particles over time, with a curved line indicating how energy rises to a peak (activation energy) and then falls as products form Avoid the mistake of students think the curved line on a reaction profile represents the speed of the reaction rather than the change in energy as the reaction proceeds; instead, explain that the curved line shows the variation in potential energy of the system as reactants convert to products, not the reaction rate For exam answers, when drawing a reaction profile, sketch a single curved line that starts at the reactant energy level, rises to the peak (activation energy), then falls to the product level. Label the start, peak, and end points and draw the curve smoothly to show the gradual change in energy