Reaction Energy Progress Diagram for Chemistry

This insightful diagram illustrates the energy changes during a chemical reaction, comparing two distinct pathways: one without a catalyst and one with. It clearly depicts how initial reactants, labeled X and Y, transition to the product Z, mapping their energy states along the reaction progress. The black curve represents the uncatalyzed reaction, showing a higher activation energy (Ea) barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to occur. In stark contrast, the red curve demonstrates the catalyzed pathway, where the presence of a catalyst significantly lowers this activation energy, thus speeding up the reaction. It's important to note that while the activation energy is altered, the overall Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) between reactants and products remains precisely the same, emphasizing that catalysts only affect reaction rate, not the equilibrium or final energy states.

chemistry - reaction - energy diagram - catalyst - activation energy - reaction progress - chemical kinetics