Chemistry GCSE
Activation Energy
What Activation Energy means in Chemistry GCSE, as defined for OCR, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Activation Energy
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
The minimum amount of energy that particles must have to react when they collide.
The minimum amount of energy that colliding particles must possess for a chemical reaction to occur.
Topics that use Activation Energy
- Topic C3: Chemical reactions (OCR GCSE)
- Topic C5: Monitoring and controlling chemical reactions (OCR GCSE)
- Rates of reaction and energy changes (Pearson Edexcel GCSE)
Related terms
- Catalyst
- Mole
- Closed System
- Dynamic Equilibrium
- Electrolyte
- Endothermic Reaction
- Exothermic Reaction
- Law of Conservation of Mass
Using Activation Energy in the exam
Definition questions usually carry one or two marks, and examiners look for the precise wording. Write the definition from memory, check it against the version above, and then use the term in a longer answer on the same topic so it sticks.
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