When gases or liquids are heated the particles gain kinetic
energy and move faster increasing the chance of collision between reactant molecules and therefore the increased chance of a fruitful collision (i.e. one resulting in product formation). However! This is NOT the main reason for the increased reaction speed on increasing the temperature of reactant molecules because most molecular collisions do not result in chemical change. Before any change takes place on collision, the colliding molecules must have a minimum kinetic energy called the activation energy. o Its a sort of 'threshold' energy required before any bonds can be broken i.e. before a reaction can take place. Do not confuse activation energy with the overall energy change also shown in the energy profile diagrams below, that is the overall energy absorbed-taken in by the system (endothermic) or given out to the surroundings (exothermic). It does not matter whether the reaction is an exothermic or an endothermic energy change (see the pair of reaction profile diagrams below). Higher temperature molecules in gases and liquids have a greater average kinetic energy and so a greater proportion of them will then have the required activation energy to react on collision. The increased chance of higher energy collisions greatly increases the speed of the reaction because it greatly increases the chance of a fruitful collision forming the reaction products by bonds being broken in the reactants and new bonds formed in the reaction products. The activation energy 'hump' can be related to the process of bond breaking and making o Up the hump is endothermic, representing breaking bonds (energy absorbed, needed to pull atoms apart), o down the other side of the hump is exothermic, representing bond formation (energy released, as atoms become electronically more stable). o The 'reaction profile' diagrams below illustrate the course or progress of a reaction in terms of the energy changes taking place. o Do NOT confuse the activation energy with overall energy change of the reaction (exothermic or endothermic) shown in the 2nd and 3rd set of diagrams below. ENERGY PROFILES for chemical reactions
1. Simple energy level diagrams for exothermic and
endothermic reactions NOT showing the activation energy
ENERGY PROFILES for chemical reactions
2. Energy level diagrams for exothermic and endothermic reactions showing the activation energy 'hump' which must be overcome before a chemical reaction can take place
3. Note that the effect of a catalyst is to lower the activation energy,
enabling the reaction to go faster BUT it does NOT affect the overall energy change of the reaction. The catalyst provides a different pathway for the reaction that needs less energy to initiate it but it does NOT change the energy transfer value irrespective of whether it is an exothermic or an endothermic reaction.
3b. Further examples of reaction progress profiles
Reaction profile Relative comments on these ENERGY PROFILES for diagram chemical reactions
Very endothermic reaction with a big activation
energy. Very exothermic reaction with a small activation energy.
Moderately endothermic reaction with a moderately
high activation energy.
Moderately exothermic reaction with a moderately
high activation energy.
A small activation energy reaction with no net energy
change. This is theoretically possible if the total energy absorbed by the reactants in bond breaking equals the energy released by bonds forming in the products. Energy level diagram for an exothermic chemical reaction without showing the activation energy.
It could also be seen as quite exothermic with a
highly unlikely zero activation energy, but reactions between two ions of opposite charge usually has a very low activation energy. Energy level diagram for an endothermic chemical reaction without showing the activation energy.
It could also be seen as quite endothermic with a zero
activation energy (highly unlikely, probably impossible?).
4. Catalysts and Activation Energy
Catalysts increase the rate of a reaction by helping break
chemical bonds in reactant molecules. This effectively means the activation energy is reduced (see diagram 'humps' below). Therefore at the same temperature, more reactant molecules have enough kinetic energy to react compared to the uncatalysed situation and so the reaction speeds up with the greater chance of a 'fruitful' collision. o Note that a catalyst does NOT change the energy of the molecules, it reduces the threshold kinetic energy needed for a molecules to react. o The overall energy change for a catalysed reaction is identical to the energy change for the same uncatalysed reaction. Although a true catalyst does take part in the reaction, it does not get used up and can be reused with more reactants, it may change chemically on a temporary basis but would be reformed as the reaction products also form. However a solid catalyst might change physically permanently by becoming more finely divided, especially if the reaction is exothermic. Also note from the diagram that although the activation energy is reduced, the overall exothermic or endothermic energy change is the same for both the catalysed or uncatalysed reaction. The catalyst might help break the bonds BUT it cannot change the actual bond energies.
ENERGY PROFILES for chemical reactions
Combined reaction profiles for an uncatalysed and catalysed reaction.