Can Activation Energy ever be zero ?

[RichardParker]

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Can a reaction ever have zero activation energy ?

According to Arrhenius equation, Ea = -RT ln (K/A)
If K = A, ln 1 = 0. and Ea = 0. But is that possible, Can A ever equal K ?😕

Or if anyone has a different way to approach the problem please share.

 

[loveoforganic]

Yes, but only technically/theoretically. If you were to be at the transition state, the "activation energy" to go in either direction would be zero.

 

[RichardParker]

ah true. Thanks

I guess I was too focused on thinking in terms of the reactant. In that case Ea can never be zero, because if it were then the gazillions of reactant molecules would instantly turn into product molecules.