Transition State

Definition

The transition state refers to the highest-energy state of a reaction, where old bonds are breaking and new ones are forming.

Analogy

Imagine you're climbing over a hill. At first, it takes effort (energy) to climb up, but once you reach the top (the transition state), it becomes easier as you start going downhill and forming new paths.

Related terms

Activation Energy: This is similar to your initial energy spent climbing up the hill. It’s the minimum amount of energy required for reactants to form products in a chemical reaction.

Reactant/Product: These are what you start with before climbing/the path you create after descending from your hilltop journey. Reactants are substances present at start of reaction while products are formed at end of reaction.

Catalyst: A catalyst would be like having hiking gear for your climb – it helps lower activation energy needed for reaching transition state.