The energy diagram for the elementary reaction, X(g) + Y(g) ⇌ Z(g) + R(g) is shown below.

What would happen if the kinetic energy of the reactants was not enough to provide the needed activation energy?

Question

The energy diagram for the elementary reaction, X(g) + Y(g) ⇌ Z(g) + R(g) is shown below.

What would happen if the kinetic energy of the reactants was not enough to provide the needed activation energy?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

To tackle this question, I will evaluate what happens when the kinetic energy of reactants is insufficient to overcome the activation energy barrier.
Option 1: "The products would be produced at a lower energy state." This statement misinterprets energy transfer in a reaction. Even if products could form, the energy diagram indicates that crossing the activation barrier is necessary; without enough energy, the system cannot reach the transition state, so products are not formed rather than merely ending up in a lower-energy product state.

Option 2: "The reactants would not convert to products." This aligns with the fundamental concept of activation energy: if the colliding molecules do not reach or exceed the activation energy, the reaction cannot proceed to the products, and the reactants remain unreacted. This is the correct interpretation for the given condition.

Option 3: "The products would form at an unstable energy state." Once formed, products would typically reside at a local minimum if the reaction could proceed; however, in this scenario, the barrier is not overcome, so products do not form at all. The premise implies no product formation, not unstable products.

Option 4: "The activated complex would convert into products." This would require the system to reach and cross the transition state. If the kinetic energy is insufficient to reach activation energy, the activated complex cannot form at all, so this step cannot occur.

Option 5: "The rate of the reaction would tend to increase." A higher rate requires more reactant energy to surpass the barrier; with insufficient kinetic energy, the rate would not increase and would instead be effectively zero (ignoring alternative pathways). This makes this statement inaccurate in the described scenario.

In summary, when reactants lack the energy to overcome the activation barrier, the reaction cannot proceed to products, which makes option 2 the correct choice while the other options describe outcomes that require the activation barrier to be overcome or misinterpret the energy landscape of the reaction.

The energy diagram for the elementary reaction, X(g) + Y(g) ⇌ Z(g) + R(g) is shown below. What would happen if the kinetic energy of the reactants was not enough to provide the needed activation energy?

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