The above image is just an animated gif file for those who cannot install the required Java software to have an idea about the simulation. Click the above button or this link to launch this interactive activity.
| An exothermic reaction evolves heat. The heat energy comes from the chemical energy stored in the bonds. If more stable bonds are formed after the reaction, the energy difference between the newly formed bonds and the previous ones will be liberated as thermal energy. The heat evolved in an individual reaction is then converted into kinetic energy, which can be transferred to other molecules in the system through collisions. Having gained energy, the molecules have better chance to overcome the activation barriers, which subsequently results in more reactions and more energy release. If the amount of energy released is large in a certain period of time, this will initiate an avalanche, which ultimately exhibits an explosion at the macroscopic level. |
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The above image is just an animated gif file for those who cannot install the required Java software to have an idea about the simulation. Click the above button or this link to launch this interactive activity. |
| System requirements: You must have Java Version 5 or higher in order to run this program. Please go to java.com to get the latest Java software, if you are not sure. |
| Failed? Check out the FAQ for troubleshooting. |