Reaction profile

A reaction profile, also called an energy level diagram, represents the relative energy of the reacting system as the reaction proceeds.

A reaction profile is a diagram of the energy changes that occur as reactants turn into products. Its vertical axis shows energy, while its horizontal axis shows the progress of reaction: the route from the starting substances to the substances formed. Progress of reaction is not a measurement of time.

A reaction profile is a way of representing energy changes during a chemical reaction. The vertical axis shows energy; the horizontal axis shows progress of reaction as reactants turn into products. It is not a time graph, so a wider curve does not mean that the reaction took longer.

A reaction profile is a diagram that follows the energy of the reacting system during this change. It does not show the positions of particles or how quickly the reaction happens.