Draw a graph showing the reaction pathway for an overall...

Name: Problem 16, Chapter 14: Chemistry: The Central Science in SI Units, Global Edition
Uploaded: 2021-07-25T16:52:40-08:00
Duration: 1 min 56 s
Channel: Nicole Smina
Description: Draw a graph showing the reaction pathway for an overall exothermic reaction with two intermediates that are produced at different rates. On your graph indicate the reactants, products, intermediates, transition states, and activation energies.

Draw a graph showing the reaction pathway for an overall exothermic reaction with two intermediates that are produced at different rates. On your graph indicate the reactants, products, intermediates, transition states, and activation energies.

Key Concepts

Exothermic Reaction

An exothermic reaction is one in which energy is released to the surroundings, often in the form of heat. In a reaction pathway graph, an exothermic reaction is depicted by a net decrease in energy from reactants to products, indicating that the products are at a lower energy level compared to the reactants.

Reaction Coordinate Diagram

A reaction coordinate diagram is a graphical representation that plots the energy of a chemical system versus the progress of the reaction. This diagram is used to illustrate the energy changes that occur during a reaction, including the formation and consumption of intermediates, the presence of transition states, and the overall energy profile from reactants to products.

Intermediates

Intermediates are transient species that form and then react further during a multi-step reaction. In a reaction pathway, intermediates appear as local minima between the transition states. They are kinetically significant even though they are not present in the overall balanced equation, and their different rates of formation can affect the reaction mechanism and product distribution.

Transition States

Transition states are high-energy configurations that occur at the peaks between the intermediates and reactants or products. They represent the state through which the system must pass when converting reactants into products. In the reaction diagram, these states are depicted as the highest points on the energy barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to proceed.

Activation Energy

Activation energy is the minimum quantity of energy required to convert reactants into a transition state, thereby initiating the reaction. It is represented on the graph as the energy difference between the reactants (or an intermediate) and the top of the transition state. This concept is essential for understanding the kinetics of the reaction and how factors such as temperature influence the reaction rate.

Reaction Rates

Reaction rates refer to the speed at which reactants are converted into products. Differences in the rates of formation and consumption of intermediates can influence the overall reaction mechanism and pathway. Varying reaction rates imply that some intermediates may accumulate or be fleeting, which is a factor that must be represented when analyzing and drawing the reaction pathway.

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