dividing surface

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01823
A surface, usually taken to be a hyperplane, constructed at right angles to the
minimum-energy path
on a
potential-energy (reaction) surface
. In conventional
transition-state theory
it passes through the highest point on the minimum-energy path. In generalized versions of transition-state theory the dividing surface can be at other positions; in
variational transition-state theory
the position of the dividing surface is varied so as to get a better estimate of the
rate constant
.
Source:
PAC, 1996, 68, 149. (A glossary of terms used in chemical kinetics, including reaction dynamics (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)) on page 163 [Terms] [Paper]