Question detail
What does the overall energy change on a reaction profile indicate?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Exothermic and endothermic reactions
Question
- A. The difference in energy between reactants and products
- B. The activation energy required for the reaction
- C. The temperature change of the surroundings
- D. The type of reaction occurring
Answer
The difference in energy between reactants and products
Explanation
The overall energy change represents the difference in energy levels between the reactants and the products, indicating whether the reaction is exothermic or endothermic.
Common mistake
Labeling overall energy change on a reaction profile
Students often label the overall energy change as the height of the activation energy peak, rather than the difference between reactant and product energies
Explain that the overall energy change is the vertical difference between the reactant and product energy levels; a negative value indicates an exothermic reaction and a positive value an endothermic reaction. The activation energy is the energy required to reach the transition state, not the overall ΔE.
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