Activation Energy (Noun)
Meaning
The energy that an atomic system must acquire before a process (such as an emission or reaction) can occur; "catalysts are said to reduce the energy of activation during the transition phase of a reaction".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural phenomena.
Examples
- The presence of a catalyst in a reaction reduces the activation energy required for the reaction to occur, making it faster and more efficient.
- Activation energy is a measure of the energy that must be overcome in order for a chemical reaction to proceed, and it plays a critical role in determining the rate of the reaction.
- Increasing the temperature of a system increases the energy available to overcome the activation energy barrier, which is why higher temperatures typically lead to faster reaction rates.
- Catalysts are able to reduce the activation energy required for a reaction to occur, which allows them to speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.
- Understanding the activation energy required for a reaction to occur is essential in chemistry and chemical engineering, as it can be used to design more efficient processes and predict the rates of different reactions.