| Activation Reaction: |
The minimum energy required for a chemical or a biological reaction to take place. Education Note: In a reaction, the reactant molecules come together and chemical or biological bonds are stretched, broken and reformed to produce new products. Mitigation Note: In a wet building water damaging event for example, during the flooding phase, the water becomes the catalyst activation reaction, allowing biochemical energy to be produced and increase from moisture. The biomechanical energy (activation reaction) decreases to the original energy, only after the building has been dried out properly. The activation energy Ea (reaction) is the difference between the maximum energy and the energy of the water and moisture (vapour) reactants. The activation reaction determines the way in which the rate of the reaction varies with temperature and humidity. In other words, the activation reaction (fresh water flooding) is reversible (drying and dehumidification) and the activation reaction it is meant to return back to a balance or equilibrium, as long as the building materials are dried out properly and within a reasonably short period of time. See Balanced Drying |