My assignment sheet said to plot a KE distribution diagram where 10% of the molecules meet or exceed the Ea. I know the Ea and enthalpy change. But nothing else so does this mean the diagram is just a estimation of what it would look like.Or am i doing something wrong...

Plz help id really appreciate an opinion on this!!

You know the "look" of the diagram and all of that will be estimated; the 10% Ea means that part needs to be more or less exact.

uhhh okay i think i got its thanks

To plot a kinetic energy (KE) distribution diagram, you typically need information about the temperature, the molecular distribution, and the activation energy (Ea). However, if your assignment sheet only provides the Ea and the enthalpy change, it implies that you need to make an estimation based on the available information.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to approach this problem:

1. Determine the activation energy (Ea) and enthalpy change. Make sure you have the appropriate units.

2. Since you do not have any information about the temperature or molecular distribution, you will need to make assumptions. You can assume a certain temperature and a distribution of molecules.

3. Sketch a diagram with the x-axis representing the kinetic energy and the y-axis representing the number of molecules having a particular kinetic energy.

4. Estimate the maximum kinetic energy (KEmax) by considering the Ea and enthalpy change. Typically, molecules must overcome the Ea barrier to react and achieve a certain minimum kinetic energy. You can assume that the molecules meeting or exceeding the Ea have kinetic energy equal to or greater than this minimum.

5. Use the assumption about the molecular distribution to estimate the fraction of molecules meeting or exceeding the Ea. In this case, you need to estimate the fraction to be 10%.

6. On your diagram, mark a vertical line at the kinetic energy value determined in step 4.

7. Divide the remaining kinetic energy range into two parts: the fraction of molecules below the Ea barrier (based on the assumption of a normal distribution) and the fraction meeting or exceeding the Ea (10% in this case).

8. Sketch a curve representing the number of molecules at each kinetic energy value, considering the distribution of energies and the fractions from step 7.

9. Label the diagram appropriately, including the kinetic energy values and any assumptions you made.

Remember, without specific information about the temperature and molecular distribution, your diagram will be an estimation. However, by following these steps and carefully considering the given information, you can create a reasonable representation of a kinetic energy distribution diagram based on the provided guidelines.