Skip to main content

Energy Diagrams

Energy diagrams graphically represent the energy changes that occur during chemical reactions, showing reactants, products, and activation energies.

Key Concepts​

  • Reactants and Products: Starting and ending points on the diagram
  • Activation Energy (Ea): Energy required to reach the transition state
  • Transition State: Peak of the energy curve representing the highest energy intermediate
  • ΔH (Enthalpy Change): Energy difference between products and reactants
    • Exothermic: ΔH < 0
    • Endothermic: ΔH > 0

Types of Energy Diagrams​

  • Exothermic Reactions: Energy of products lower than reactants
  • Endothermic Reactions: Energy of products higher than reactants
  • Multistep Reactions: Show multiple peaks for each elementary step

Importance​

  • Visualizes reaction kinetics and thermodynamics
  • Identifies rate-determining steps
  • Aids in designing catalysts and reaction pathways

Have Questions?​

If you have any questions, or are looking for more resources, you can join our Discord Server