Consider a mechanism consisting of two elementary steps

CHEMISTRY · Subjective · A Level · Chemistry · Kinetics · Kinetics

Problem

Consider a mechanism consisting of two elementary steps, with reactants assigned a potential energy of

0\,\text{kJ}

. Step 1:

E_{a1} = 55\,\text{kJ}

\Delta H_{1} = +10\,\text{kJ}

Step 2:

E_{a2} = 35\,\text{kJ}

\Delta H_{2} = -45\,\text{kJ}

Determine the potential energy (in kJ) of the intermediate formed after Step 1 relative to the reactants.