Reaction Coordinate Diagrams

Question 1

What does a coordinate diagrams do?

Answer 1

Conveys information about a chemical reaction

Question 2

If the reactants are higher on the y axis than the products, than?

Answer 2

• The reactants have a higher energy level and are LESS stable
• delta H is negative
• exothermic (gives off heat- feels warm)

Question 3

If the reactants are lower on the y axis than the products, than?

Answer 3

• The reactants have a lower energy level and are MORE stable
• delta H is positive
• endothermic (consumes heat- feels cold)

Question 4

What goes on the y axis and x axis?

Answer 4

y axis= energy

x axis= reaction coordinate or the reaction moving forward

Question 5

What is delta H?

Answer 5

difference between the energy levels of the reactants and products.
*H= energy of products MINUS energy of reactants

Question 6

delta E

Answer 6

Activation energy. Height between the reactants and the “top of the hill” on the graph

Question 7

What is the difference between positive and negative Delta H? What does it tell you?

Answer 7

Negative H= exothermic= gives off heat

Positive H= endothermic= consumes heat

Question 8

If the reactants and products are at the same level of energy, the reaction is called?

Answer 8

isothermic

Question 9

What are intermediate products?

Answer 9

products that are made in between two transition states

Question 10

What are transition states?

Answer 10

They are the top of each hill in a multistep reaction

Question 11

What is the difference between transition states and intermediates?

Answer 11

• transition states exists very briefly between a reactant and an intermediate or reactant and product
• intermediates are more long lives transition states that be isolated, stored, and analyzed. (transition states cannot)

Question 12

What is the rate determining step?

Answer 12

It is the slowest step in a multistep reaction. It It is the step with the LARGEST activation energy (largest hill).