ACTIVATED COMPLEX Meaning and
Definition
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An activated complex refers to an intermediate and high-energy state that a chemical reactant undergoes during a reaction before it transforms into products. It is also known as a transition state or transition state complex. In order for a chemical reaction to occur, reactant molecules must collide with sufficient energy to initiate the process. The activated complex represents the highest point along the reaction pathway where the bonds in the reactant molecules have started to weaken, and new bonds in the products have not yet formed.
The activated complex is characterized by its fleeting and temporary nature. It exists only for a brief period of time, typically in the order of picoseconds (10^-12 seconds). Within this short timeframe, the reactant molecules reach a maximum energy level and the atomic arrangement is altered, allowing for the formation of new chemical bonds. The activated complex is highly unstable and prone to breaking apart, either reverting back to the reactants or progressing to form the products.
The energy required to reach the activated complex, known as the activation energy, is influenced by factors such as temperature, concentration, and the presence of catalysts. Catalysts can lower the activation energy barrier, facilitating the formation of the activated complex and increasing the reaction rate.
Understanding the nature of the activated complex is crucial in the study of chemical reactions. The rate at which reactions occur can be determined by analyzing the stability and energy barriers associated with the activated complex.
Common Misspellings for ACTIVATED COMPLEX
- zctivated complex
- sctivated complex
- wctivated complex
- qctivated complex
- axtivated complex
- avtivated complex
- aftivated complex
- adtivated complex
- acrivated complex
- acfivated complex
- acgivated complex
- acyivated complex
- ac6ivated complex
- ac5ivated complex
- actuvated complex
- actjvated complex
- actkvated complex
- actovated complex
- act9vated complex
- act8vated complex
Etymology of ACTIVATED COMPLEX
The term "activated complex" is used in chemistry to describe an intermediate state that occurs during a chemical reaction, in which the reactant molecules are partially transformed into product molecules. The etymology of the term can be broken down as follows:
1. "Activate" is derived from the Latin word "activus", meaning "active" or "energetic". It entered the English language in the mid-17th century.
2. "Complex" comes from the Latin word "complexus", which means "entwined" or "interwoven". It entered the English language in the early 17th century.
Therefore, the term "activated complex" combines the concept of an energetic or active state with the idea of molecules being entwined or interconnected during a chemical reaction.
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