Question

What does it mean for a reaction to release energy?

The activation energy of the reaction is positive
The relative potential energy of the reaction is positive
The activation energy of the reaction is negative
The relative potential energy of the reaction is negative

Answer 1

For a reaction to release energy, it means that the products of the reaction have lower potential energy than the reactants. In terms of the potential energy diagram, this is often represented by a reaction that starts at a higher energy level (the reactants) and ends at a lower energy level (the products).

Therefore, the correct answer is:

**The relative potential energy of the reaction is negative.**

This indicates that the overall change in potential energy (ΔE) of the reaction is negative, meaning energy has been released to the surroundings.