Reactive Force Error and Reaction-Path Completion in Pretrained Potentials

We test local force response, reactive force accuracy and reaction-path completion in pretrained interatomic potentials. Across five broad-domain checkpoints, local force-response directions closely match their references, while forward barriers are compressed on 200 Transition1x reactions (slopes 0.660–0.857). On near-path configurations, median absolute-force cosines range from 0.311 to 0.605. Under the primary fixed-endpoint CI-NEB protocol, 3–7 of 20 paths converge per checkpoint. Local response, reactive forces and path completion therefore need separate evaluation.