SW StudyWalks

Biology  /  Bio 0498  ·  Atom · ~20 seconds

Activation Energy

Video not yet published
to the StudyWalks catalog
State

Activation energy is the input every reaction needs to reach its unstable transition state, even one that releases energy.

Show

Sugar sits stably in a bowl because breaking it down, though exergonic overall, needs an activation-energy push it rarely gets at room temperature.

Watch for

Activation energy is not part of a reaction's net free-energy change — it is recovered once the transition state resolves.