gen-briefly-explain-activation-energy-and-one-common-misconcepti-84c6

Briefly explain activation energy and one common misconception about it.

## Activation Energy **Activation energy (Ea)** is the minimum amount of energy that reactant molecules must possess for a chemical reaction to occur. Think of it as an energy barrier that must be overcome to break existing bonds and form new ones, allowing reactants to transform into products. ## Common Misconception Many people mistakenly believe that **activation energy is the energy difference between reactants and products** (ΔH). This is incorrect. Activation energy is actually the energy difference between the reactants and the **transition state** (the highest energy point along the reaction pathway). A reaction can have: - Low ΔH but high Ea (thermodynamically favorable but kinetically slow) - High ΔH but low Ea (less favorable thermodynamically but kinetically fast) This is why some exothermic reactions still need an initial "push" (like a spark to ignite gasoline) to get started.