Activation Energy Chemistry Example 4
Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.
Example 4
mediumPaper burns exothermically, but a sheet of paper can sit at room temperature for days without catching fire. Why?
Solution
- 1 Even though burning releases energy overall, the reaction still needs an initial input of energy to get started.
- 2 At room temperature the particles usually do not have enough energy to overcome the activation-energy barrier, so the paper does not ignite until a spark or flame supplies that energy.
Answer
Because the paper still needs activation energy to start burning.
Activation energy is the minimum energy needed to begin a reaction. A reaction can be energetically favorable overall and still not start unless that initial barrier is overcome.
About Activation Energy
The minimum kinetic energy that reactant particles must possess upon collision in order to break existing bonds and initiate a chemical reaction, represented as the.
Learn more about Activation Energy →More Activation Energy Examples
Example 1 easy
Explain why a match must be struck before it ignites, even though combustion is exothermic.
Example 2 mediumOn an energy diagram, Reaction A has [formula] and Reaction B has [formula]. Both occur at the same
Example 3 easyDoes a catalyst change the activation energy of a reaction? How?