Free interactive chemistry · SIM-RES-002
Potential energy surface explorer
A potential energy surface: valleys are stable molecules, passes are transition states.
Open the interactive simulation →How to use this simulation
- Tap anywhere on the surface to release a ball.
- Watch it roll downhill into a minimum.
- Read the table of minima, saddle points and barriers.
What to notice
- A ball always ends in the valley where it started — it cannot climb a pass.
- Reactions need energy (heat) to cross the transition state.
Try this
Which barrier is higher: M1 → M3 or M3 → M2? Where would a reaction get stuck?
Try it for free →