In: Chemistry
Determine whether each of the following statements is T or F, provide rationale:
A) a transition state can never be lower in energy than the reactants from which it was formed.
B) an endothermic reaction cannot have more than one intermediate.
C) the rate-determining step is the step with the largest difference in energy between products and reactants.
D) an exothermic reaction cannot have more than one intermediate.
E) transition states exist for long periods of time but can be readily isolated.
A) TRUE
Transition state is the hypothetical stage of a reaction when both bond-breaking and bond-making are in progress, hence it has always higher energy than any other species involved in that particular step. Therefore, a transition state can never be lower in energy than the reactants from which it was formed.
B) FALSE
An endothermic reaction means the product has more energy than the reactant. It has no deal with the number of steps of the reaction. Therefore, an endothermic reaction can have more than one intermediate.
C) FALSE
The energy difference between the transition state and the reactants determines the rate of the reaction. The rate does not depend on the energy difference between the products and the reactants.
D) FALSE
Similar to endothermic reaction, exothermic reaction has no deal with the number of steps of the reaction. As number of transition states is equal to the number of steps, an exothermic reaction can have more than one intermediate.
E) FALSE
Transition states have the highest energy, hence those are very unstable. Those doesn't exist for long-time and also cannot be isolated.
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