Thermodynamics and Kinetics

[Sahir Eusuff 2H]

What is the relationship between thermodynamics and kinetics?

[Daniel Tabibian 3K]

Thermodynamics explains the direction that a reaction is favored to go as well as the general beginning and ending of a reaction. Kinetics explains the rate at which the reaction proceeds as well as the pathway that it will take.

[Charlie Gravereaux]

From what we've learned in class, thermodynamics seems to be more focused on the transfer of heat and energy of reactions, as well as the spontaneity and disorder involved with reactions (aka work, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy). However, thermodynamics does not involve much about rate of reactions (how quickly a reaction progresses) so that's is where kinetics is used to explain and observe reaction speed. Hope this helps!

[005801694]

Thermodynamics told us if a forward or reverse process was favored but didn't say how fast the reaction took. There was also no time involved in thermodynamics. Kinetics is quantifying the rate of the reaction.

[Jonathan Alterman 1C]

Thermodynamics helps us determine if the forward or reverse rxn is favored. It does not specify how fast the reaction occurs. On the other hand, kinetics helps us calculate the speed/rate of rxn as well as the mechanism/process of the reaction. Furthermore, a reaction can be kinetically stable without being thermodynamically stable like the reaction of diamond --> graphite.

[Kathryn Heinemeier 3H]

thermodynamics focuses more on heat and energy transfer and how that affects the favorability of the reaction while kinetics focuses on the rate of the reaction and how to change that.

[Aparna Pillai 1E]

Hi! You can think of them as different ways of looking at a reaction. While thermodynamics deals with the energetics of the products and the reactants, kinetics focuses on the pathway from reactants to products.