In a reaction profile for an exothermic reaction, where are the energy levels of the products relative to the reactants?

In an exothermic reaction, the energy levels of the products are lower than those of the reactants. This occurs because, during the reaction, chemical bonds in the reactants break and new bonds form in the products. The overall process releases energy, usually in the form of heat, which is why products end up with less energy than reactants.

As a result, the reaction profile would show the reactants starting at a higher energy level and the products dipping down to a lower energy level, visually illustrating the energy that has been released during the reaction. This is in contrast to an endothermic reaction, where the products possess higher energy than the reactants because energy is absorbed from the surroundings.