Activation Energy? Confusion

[Rolling]

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Hi everyone,

So let's say we have an exothermic reaction. The potential energy of the products is lower than that of the reactants. On the other hand, I may have to put in some type of energy into the system to achieve the activation energy. Once the activation energy is reached, the reaction will occur and the product will be made with a lower energy than the reactant. However, something I do not understand is this...where does that energy go? How doesn't this violate the conservation of energy? I know it doesn't, but I don't understand where the activation energy went.

 

[loveoforganic]

Energy of molecules is on a normal distribution. Some molecules will have sufficient energy to cross the activation energy threshold and react. It's generally not an all or nothing thing where all of a system's molecules are simultaneously above then below activation energy. Energy released through reaction can be passed on to other molecules to get them closer to reaching activation energy themselves through, for example, increasing the heat of the system.

 

[Rolling]

I don't understand

 

[bbottle]

An exothermic reaction, by definition releases heat. The heat is where the energy from the reactants goes.

reactants → products + energy

 

[loveoforganic]

Think I misunderstood your question. Edited my original reply to avoid confusing others.

 

[Rolling]

I am saying if energy is put into the reactants to overcome the barrier. Where does that energy actually go? Because let's say it's even if its an endothermic process, the energy of the transition state is always higher

 

[Rabolisk]

The energy goes into achieving the transition state.