Use the PhET Reactions & Rates interactive simulation...

Use the PhET Reactions \& Rates interactive simulation (http:Ilopenstaxcollege.org/II 16PHETreaction) to simulate a system. On the "single collision" tab of the simulation applet, enable the "Energy view" by clicking the "t" icon. Select the first $A+B C \longrightarrow A B+C$ reaction (A is yellow, B is purple, and C is navy blue). Using the "angled shot" option, try launching the $A$ atom with varying angles, but with more Total energy than the transition state. What happens when the $A$ atom hits the $B C$ molecule from different directions? Why?

Key Concepts

Potential Energy Surface (PES)

The potential energy surface is a conceptual landscape that maps the energy of a system as a function of nuclear coordinates. It illustrates the energy barriers and wells associated with different molecular configurations, helping to explain why only certain collision angles and orientations lead to successful reactions.

Molecular Collision Orientation

Collision orientation is the geometric arrangement of molecules during a collision, which significantly influences the outcome of a reaction. Only when molecules collide with the proper orientation do their reactive sites effectively interact, making the chances of forming products depend not just on the amount of energy but also on how that energy is directed during the collision.

Activation Energy

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required for reactants to overcome the barrier posed by the transition state. It sets the threshold that must be reached in order for a reaction to occur, and any reactant acquiring energy above this threshold has a higher likelihood of transforming into products.

Transition State

The transition state refers to a fleeting, high?energy configuration along the reaction coordinate that represents the barrier separating reactants from products. It is critical because reactants must achieve this configuration in order to convert into products, and its energy level determines whether a reaction will proceed under given conditions.

Transcript

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