What term describes the energy required to start a chemical reaction?

The term that describes the energy required to initiate a chemical reaction is activation energy. This energy is necessary to break bonds in the reactants, allowing the rearrangement of atoms to form products. Activation energy is a critical concept in chemistry and biology because it determines the rate at which a reaction will occur; higher activation energy typically means a slower reaction rate, while lower activation energy can facilitate faster reactions.

In many biological processes, enzymes play a vital role by lowering the activation energy needed for reactions, which allows biochemical reactions to proceed at a faster rate within living organisms. Understanding activation energy is key to grasping how reactions occur and the factors that influence reaction rates.