Activation energy

Definition

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction. It serves as an energy barrier that reactants must overcome before transforming into products.

Related terms

Catalyst: A substance that decreases the activation energy needed for a reaction, thereby speeding up the reaction without being consumed itself.

Enzyme: A biological catalyst, typically a protein, that accelerates chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy.

Chemical Reaction: A process involving rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, converting reactants into products