What is activation energy?

Activation energy refers to the minimum energy that reactant molecules must possess for a chemical reaction to take place. It acts as a threshold barrier that must be overcome for the reactants to transform into products. This energy is essential because it determines the rate at which reactions occur. If the energy of the colliding particles is below this threshold, the reaction will not proceed.

In many cases, activation energy is needed to break existing bonds so that new bonds can form, leading to product formation. However, while breaking bonds is part of the process, the key concept here is that it is about the energy necessary for initiating the reaction rather than just the energy associated with bond breaking.

Additionally, the energy released during a reaction pertains to the exothermic processes, where energy is released upon the formation of products. This aspect does not relate to activation energy, which is concerned specifically with the initiation of the reaction itself.

Finally, maintaining a reaction usually refers to the energy required to sustain the conditions under which a reaction occurs (like heat in an exothermic reaction), but this is distinct from the concept of activation energy, which is primarily about the energy input needed at the outset of the reaction.