In this episode, we discuss reaction profiles and chemical bonds.

Chemical reactions involve the breaking and forming of bonds, with energy changes occurring in the process. 

Bond breaking requires energy input and is thus endothermic, while bond formation releases energy and is exothermic. 

The overall energy change of a reaction can be determined by comparing the total energy required to break bonds in the reactants to the total energy released by forming bonds in the products. 

If more energy is released than consumed, the reaction is exothermic and has a negative energy change. Conversely, if more energy is needed to break bonds than is released by forming them, the reaction is endothermic and has a positive energy change. 

Calculating this energy difference using bond energies allows us to predict whether a reaction will release or absorb heat.

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