In an endothermic reaction, what happens to heat energy?

In an endothermic reaction, heat energy is absorbed from the surroundings. This means that during the chemical reaction, the system takes in energy in the form of heat, which leads to a decrease in the temperature of the surroundings. This absorption of energy is necessary because it allows the reactants to transform into products, overcoming the energy barrier for the chemical reaction to proceed. Endothermic reactions often require a continuous input of energy, which is reflected in the overall energy profile of the process.

The other options do not accurately describe the nature of endothermic reactions. For example, heat cannot be released, as that denotes an exothermic process, nor can it be transformed into light energy in such reactions. While heat can be stored chemically in some cases, the defining characteristic of endothermic reactions is their requirement for energy input from the environment.