Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion A and the other is labelled as Reason R. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
- A is true but R is false.
- A is false but R is true.
- Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
Answer
(3) A is false but R is true.
Solution
R is true: activation energy Ea = threshold energy − average energy of the reactant molecules; it is the minimum extra energy the reactants must absorb to reach the threshold energy.
A is false: reactant molecules must always cross the energy barrier of the activated complex, so Ea > 0 for a chemical reaction.
Answer: (3)