Question

Explain, with the help of potential energy diagram, effect of temperature on the rate of reaction.

Answer 1

Differentiating between Ea and $\Delta E$. The potential energy diagrams for a reaction with (a) $\Delta$E < 0 and (b) $\Delta$E > 0 illustrate the change in the potential energy of the system as reactants are converted to products. Ea is always positive. For a reaction such as the one shown in (b), Ea must be greater than $\Delta$E.

Whereas $\Delta$E is related to the tendency of a reaction to occur spontaneously, Ea gives us information about the reaction rate and how rapidly the reaction rate changes with temperature. For two similar reactions under comparable conditions, the reaction with the smallest Ea will occur more rapidly.