Question

The decomposition of dinitrogen pentaoxide has an activation energy of 102 kj/mol and \delta ? h°rxn = + 55 kj/mol. what is the activation energy for the reverse reaction?

Answer 1

A positive cahnge of enthalpy, ΔH rxn = + 55 kJ/mol, for the forward reaction means that the reaction is endothermic, i.e. the reactants absorb energy and the products are higher in energy.

Activation energy is the difference in the energy level of the reactants and the peak in the potential energy diagram (the energy of the transition state).

For an endothermic reaction, the products will be closer in energy to the transition state than what the reactans will be; so, the activation energy of the reversed reaction is lower than the activation energy of the forward reaction.

Activation energy of reverse and forward reactions is related by:

Activation energy of reverse rxn = Activation energy of forward rxn - ΔH rxn

=> Activiation energy of reverse rxn = 102 kJ/mol - 55 kJ/mol = 47 kJ/mol

Answer: 47 kJ/mol