With the help of a diagram, explain the physical significance of energy of activation `(E_(a))` in chemical reactions.

Explanation

To explain the physical significance of activation energy `(E_a)` in chemical reactions, we can break down the explanation into a step-by-step solution along with a diagram.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Definition of Activation Energy**:
- Activation energy `(E_a)` is defined as the minimum amount of energy that must be provided to reactants to initiate a chemical reaction. It represents the energy barrier that must be overcome for the reaction to proceed.

2. **Understanding the Reaction Path**:
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