Kinetics vs Thermodynamics

[itzeelpadillaDis1A]

What does in mean when kinetics is controlling the reaction rather then thermodynamics?

[Bansi Amin 1D]

It depends on what the reaction is dependent upon and based off of that, which pathway the reaction will take.The kinetic pathway is the easiest pathway. A kinetically controlled reaction will be faster and when compared to a thermodynamic pathway, the products are less stable. The activation energy of the kinetically controlled reaction has been lowered from the thermodynamically controlled one.

[Leah Savage 2F]

Why has the activation energy been lowered?

[Scott Chin_1E]

I think Professor Lavelle used the example of diamond being thermodynamically favored to become a different product (though I'm not too sure what that was), however, we know that diamond does not indeed undergo this reaction because it requires a high amount of activation energy to overcome the energy barrier for the reaction to occur.

So in this way, kinetics moreso determines whether the reaction will occur rather than thermodynamics.

[Leah Savage 2F]

So if a reaction happens really slowly, is this the case where kinetics rather than thermodynamics controls the rxn?