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potential energy curve
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A graph with energy on the vertical axis and internuclear separation on the horizontal axis, showing a red curve dipping into a well; the well's depth represents bond strength and its position indicates bond length. potential energy curves A graph with energy on the vertical axis and internuclear separation on the horizontal axis, showing two curves: a red line for intermolecular potential energy and a blue line for molecular potential energy, each illustrating how energy changes as molecules move closer or farther apart. Potential energy curve.
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potential energy curve

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A graph with energy on the vertical axis and internuclear separation on the horizontal axis, showing a red curve dipping into a well; the well's depth represents bond strength and its position indicates bond length.
molecular potential energy Figure 10: A molecular potential energy curve. The strength of the bond is indicated by the depth of the well below the energy of the separated atoms (to the right), and the bond length is the corresponding internuclear separation.

A potential energy curve illustrates how the potential energy of a system changes as its parts move relative to each other. This stored energy depends on the configuration of the system. For example, a stretched spring or a ball held at a height possesses potential energy.1

In chemical reactions, potential energy surfaces model how energy changes with interatomic distances. The highest point on the energy barrier between reactants and products represents the transition state, which dictates the reaction rate. This concept is crucial for understanding reaction dynamics and predicting how reactions will proceed.23

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. potential energy
  2. chemical kinetics - Molecular dynamics
  3. reaction mechanism - Energy changes involved in reactions

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