What occurs in a reaction profile for an endothermic reaction?

In an endothermic reaction, the products are indeed at a higher energy level than the reactants. This is because endothermic reactions absorb energy from their surroundings, typically in the form of heat, which contributes to an increase in the overall energy of the products.

To understand this in more detail, when a chemical reaction occurs, the bonds in the reactants are broken, which requires energy input. If the energy absorbed during this process is greater than the energy released when new bonds are formed in the products, the overall energy of the products exceeds that of the reactants. The graphical representation of this would show a reaction profile that rises from the reactants to the products, indicating the absorption of energy.

This concept is essential in understanding the energy changes that occur during chemical reactions, distinguishing them from exothermic reactions, where energy is released and the products have a lower energy than the reactants.