Questions: Which statement best describes how activation energy influences a reaction? The greater the activation energy, the greater the enthalpy of reaction. The lower the activation energy, the more energy is released. The greater the activation energy, the lower the reaction rate. The lower the activation energy, the lower the energy of the products.

Solution Steps

Activation energy is the minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur. It acts as a barrier that reactants must overcome to be transformed into products.

1. The greater the activation energy, the greater the enthalpy of reaction.

   • This statement is incorrect. Activation energy does not determine the enthalpy change (\(\Delta H\)) of the reaction. Enthalpy change is the difference in energy between reactants and products.

2. The lower the activation energy, the more energy is released.

   • This statement is incorrect. The amount of energy released in a reaction is related to the enthalpy change, not the activation energy.

3. The greater the activation energy, the lower the reaction rate.

   • This statement is correct. A higher activation energy means that fewer molecules have the required energy to react, thus lowering the reaction rate.

4. The lower the activation energy, the lower the energy of the products.

   • This statement is incorrect. The energy of the products is independent of the activation energy; it is determined by the nature of the reactants and the reaction itself.

Final Answer