Explain the meaning of the transition state that reactants m

Explain the meaning of the “transition state” that reactants must pass through, including the relationship between transition state, activation energy, and the rate of a reaction.   

Solution

Transition state:

It is the intermediate state where reactants are converted to activated complex after attaining activation energy.The transition state of a chemical reaction is a particular configuration along the reaction coordinate. It is defined as the state corresponding to the highest potential energy along this reaction coordinate.

Activation Energy :

The minimum energy required to form transition state or activated complex is called activation energy or the minimum energy which must be available to a chemical system with potential reactants to result in a chemical reaction.

Rate of reaction :

The speed at which reactants are converted into products is called rate of reaction.It is the change in the concentration of reactant per unit time.It depends upon concentration of reactants,temperature,pressure and even catalyst.

Rate of reaction is high when transtion states are less and transition states are formed rapidly when activation energies are high.